Demanding salon music for string quartet (with double-bass ad libitum) is provided by Wolfgang Birtel in his 'Latin Dances' with four titles which can be played individually or as a little suite. The first dance is the chorinho 'Não me toques' by Zequinha de Abreu (1880-1935) who not only wrote 'Tico Tico' but also other rousing pieces of music. Ernesto Nazareth (1863-1934) is considered to be the 'inventor' of the Brazilian tango and waltz: He titled the waltz, which follows as second title, 'Ingenious'. These rather unknown titles are followed by two absolute worldwide hits: 'Bolada de Aficionado' by A.G. Villoldo and then the everlasting beguine 'Bésame Mucho' by the Mexican composer Consuelo Velázques (1916-2005). Whether individually or as a 'four-pack' - the fingers will be twitching and the toes will be tingling for this music carries away musicians and audience alike. / Quatuor A Cordes

Par BACEWICZ GRAZYNA. Studying the sketches for works which a composer considers to be finished, perfected, is a fascinating activity. It enables one to penetrate the secrets of creative work, to compare the initial outline of a composition with its final version. A sketch is generally left untitled, but it does occur that a composer enhances the status of such a draft by giving it a title, before creating an improved version of that title on the basis of the finished work. The list of compositions by Grazyna Bacewicz, the full catalogue of which is held in the National Library in Warsaw, includes a work for string quartet entitled Quatuor. The manuscript was left undated, but analysis of the music allows us to date this work to the mid-1960s. In the composer?s output from that period, the instrumental tone colouring, often an element that helps to forge a work, takes on particular significance. The first movement of the Quatuor [à cordes] opens with three fifth-tritone chords ?cast forth?, in succession, in saltando-gettato technique by the cello, second violin and first violin. When we look at the beginning of the Seventh String Quartet, from 1965, such a chord appears in the second bar of the cello part. Further comparisons lead to interesting conclusions. The two opening movements are almost identical, built from the same elements, only spatially arranged in a different way. In the structure of the first movement of the Seventh Quartet, one distinguishes two thematic planes, which shape the narrative after the fashion of a sonata allegro. The first theme is a series of episodes of changing texture ? from passagework to chords and short glissandos repeated with varying intensity. The second theme (Meno mosso) displays an imitative form. Both works feature an inverted reprise. For the first 25 bars of the second movement, a nostalgic Grave, the two works sound identical. The continuation of this movement in the Quatuor [à cordes] is more modest than in the analogous segments of the Seventh Quartet, in terms of both changing textures and the use of differentiated means of articulation. Towards the end, a motif from the beginning of this movement returns in modified form. Both the third movements (Capriccioso in the Quatuor [à cordes], Con vivezza in the Seventh Quartet) take the form of a rondo, and appearing in each of them is the same ?warbling? theme, based on scattered notes with grace notes. The Seventh String Quartet is in three movements. The presumed prototype consists of four movements. The last movement of the Quatuor [à cordes] is a Maestoso resembling a mine of textural ideas for other works of a sonoristic provenance from this period. The introduction, constituting a closed narrative whole and a reference point for the rest of the movement, is followed by segments that are dominated by ostinatos of various kinds, including with the use of harmonics, passages built on the progressive shifting of short motifs, and unevenly spread chords. Grazyna Bacewicz used material from earlier works more than once in her compositions. Her oeuvre also includes ?twin? pieces merely scored for a different set of instruments. Yet the self-quotation that occurs in the case of the Quatuor [à cordes] and the Seventh String Quartet ? lengthy passages from another of her works reused with minor modifications ? is an unusual situation. It undermines the former?s status as an independent work. Malgorzata Gasiorowska/ Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes

Josef Suk played second violin in the Bohemian String Quartet. Since 1914 the ensemble was obliged to perform the Austrian national anthem at the opening of every concert.Suk decided to supplement this obligatory piece with a work inspired by the ancient sacred Bohemian 'St. Wenceslas? hymn. The hymn's message - a plea for the well-being of the Czech people, directed at their patron saint - was immediately understood by the audience.The Bohemian String Quartet performed this single-movement Meditation for the first time on 27 September 1914 - the premiere of the version for string orchestra followed on 22 November 1914, played by the Czech Philharmonic. That same year the piece was published by Fr. A. Urbánek together with arrangements for piano and organ.This first Urtext edition, prepared by the Suk scholar Zdenek Nouza, is published in two scorings, one for string quartet (BA 9583 - study score TP 583) and another for string orchestra (BA 9584).The orchestral version differs in some details and has an added part for double bass. - First Urtext edition - Informative trilingual Foreword (Cz/Eng/Ger) and Critical Commentary (Eng) by the editor / Quatuor A Cordes

for String Quartet op. 35a. Par SUK JOSEF. Josef Suk played second violin in the Bohemian String Quartet. Since 1914 the ensemble was obliged to perform the Austrian national anthem at the opening of every concert. Suk decided to supplement this obligatory piece with a work inspired by the ancient sacred Bohemian 'St. Wenceslas” hymn. The hymn's message - a plea for the well-being of the Czech people, directed at their patron saint - was immediately understood by the audience. The Bohemian String Quartet performed this single-movement Meditation for the first time on 27 September 1914 - the premiere of the version for string orchestra followed on 22 November 1914, played by the Czech Philharmonic. That same year the piece was published by Fr. A. Urbánek together with arrangements for piano and organ. This first Urtext edition, prepared by the Suk scholar Zdenek Nouza, is published in two scorings, one for string quartet (BA 9583 - study score TP 583) and another for string orchestra (BA 9584). The orchestral version differs in some details and has an added part for double bass. - First Urtext edition/ Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes

Par CASABLANCAS BENET. Albumblatt für Arriaga, commissioned by the Trio Arriaga and lasting some 7:30 minutes, is the composer's fourth contribution to the classical violin, cello and piano ensemble, for which he has a special esteem. The work was written in homage to the composer Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga, and at the same time as a token of gratitude and admiration for the Trio Arriaga, to whose members the work is dedicated; a double motivation that is reflected in the title of the work. Its course is presided over by a markedly lyrical character that coexists with passages full of energy, rhythmic vivacity and drama. The introduction and epilogue of the work are based on a musical motif derived from the name of the Basque composer (Ju-A-n C-r-I-S-ostomo A-rr-I-A-G-A), made up of the notes A, C, E, Eb, A, E, E, A, G, A, in the manner of a musical acrostic, and from whose nature the harmonic and thematic material of the whole work is largely derived. The premiere of this Trio took place on 5 November 2015 in the Chamber Hall of the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona. / Date parution : 2022-02-03/ Répertoire / Violon, Violoncelle et Piano

Par HOLMAN PETER. Music for three violins and bass formed a small yet distinctive corpus of instrumental music at the Restoration court of Charles II and in the Catholic chapel of James II. Introduced to England by the German violinist Thomas Baltzar, the genre was adopted by John Jenkins, whose ten late fantasia-suites for three violins, bass viol and continuo, together with Gottfried Finger’s five sonatas for the same group of instruments, constitute the bulk of this volume. Other representative works include Baltzar’s own Suite in C major and Bartholomew Isaack’s Ground in A minor, all fascinating progenitors of Purcell’s crowning contributions to the repertoire, his Pavan in G minor and ‘Three Parts upon a Ground’. / Date parution : 1905-07-10/ Répertoire / 3 Violons, Bas Viol et Basse Continue

The study of string instruments should include ensemble playing at the earliest possible stage. There is much to be gained from the playing of duets. Each player learns how to listen to the other, and in a short time develops an awareness of balance, musical phrasing, intonation, and tone quality. This type of training is excellent preparation for participation in large groups. These four volumes of duets for two violins will help fill the need for early ensemble experience in the public schools. They should be used in string classes as a supplement to any of the standard string methods. They will also encourage music making outside of the school, with parents or with other students. These duets are ideal for recitals in the public schools and in public school festivals. They may be played by two performers, or by multiple performers on each part, with or without piano accompaniment.

String Quartet No. 4. Par BARRY GERALD. The title of Barry’s fourth string quartet refers to a Kafka story of the same name about a trapeze artist who is happy only when aloft. This is striking music, full of fragility, beauty, outbursts and to finish, an unexpected hymn sung by the quartet./ Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes

Par SUZUKI SHINICHI. Viola Part from the Suzuki Viola School, Volume 2. Transcribed for Viola and Piano by Doris Preucil. The Suzuki philosophy is based upon the idea that children can learn music in the same manner they do their native language, through repetitive listening. This simple method of teaching has developed into a worldwide movement with proponents in many countries across many instruments. The first three volumes of The Suzuki Viola School have been directly transcribed from Shinichi Suzuki's Violin method by Doris Preucil, and contain many popular Baroque melodies in addition to the necessary exercises and studies. Suitable for bothbeginner adults and young children. / Niveau : Débutant à Intermédiaire / Rép Classique / Méthode / Alto

for String Quintet Score and Parts. Par ADOLPHE BRUCE. Are There Not a Thousand Forms of Sorrow? for string quintet (2 violins, viola and 2 cellos) was commissioned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center by a consortium of the followingchamber music organizations: The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Chamber Music Northwest, Salt Bay Chamberfest, Off the Hook Arts Festival. The title of this quintet is taken from Ethan Canin's novel A Doubter's Almanac:Are there not a thousand forms of sorrow? Is the sorrow of death the same as the sorrow of knowing the pain in a child's future?/ Répertoire / Quintette à Cordes