Today, a repeat programme.
Between 1800 and 1850, Franz Krommer, a contemporary of Mozart, Joseph Woelfl, a contemporary of Beethoven, but also the younger Louis Spohr and Friedrich Fesca.
Of Beethoven’s contemporaries, the last in line is Franz Schubert, the youngest one of all. Woelfls’s quartets are particularly pleasant, harmonious and closely related to Mozarts’. Krommer explored a more narrative style, although not to the extent as Schubert’s did in his last quartets. In his first quartets, Spohr’s delicate violin play is clearly noticeable. In most of his works, an elegant first violin part plays an important role right from the start; we will experience this in his very first quartet opus 4 no 1.
Contemporaries of Beethoven 1
Joseph Woelfl – String quartet in C, opus 10:1
1. Allegro moderato – 2. Andante – 3. Menuetto (Allegro) – 4. Allegro
Performers: Quatuor Mosaïques
CD: Paladino
Franz Krommer – String quartet in a, opus 103:3
1. Allegro moderato – 2. Andante con scherzo – 3. Minuetto (Allegretto) – 4. Finale
Performers: Marcolini Quartett
CD: Avi-Service
Louis Spohr – String quartet in C, opus 4:1
4. Finale. Allegro
Performers: New Budapest Quartet
CD: Marco Polo