Beethoven:
- Complete String Quartets Volume 1
I am fortunate in that I have played in piano Trio groups, as well as in string quartets. These experiences have always created wonderful memories for me, not only from the music we played, but also based on the participants.
This recording brings back some of these memories of long ago…
Selections on this recording include the following:
Beethoven:
- String Quartet No. 6 in B flat major, Op. 18 No. 6
- String Quartet No. 11 in F minor Op. 95 ‘Serioso’
- String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135
Performed by the Quartetto di Cremona
The quartet’s members are:
• Cristiano Gualco, violin
• Paolo Andreoli, violin
• Simone Gramaglia, viola
• Giovanni Scaglione, cello
The violinist Paolo Andreoli plays a beautiful violin made by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini in 1737
The chamber music of Beethoven is divided into three periods: the Op. 18 quartet’s are from the s-called “Early Period”; the Op. 95 is from the “Middle Period”; and the Op. 135 comes form the last 5 compositions that Beethoven ever wrote, and they are identified as the “Late Period”.
Movement titles are as follows:
1. String Quartet No. 6 in B-Flat Major, Op. 18: I. Allegro con brio
2. String Quartet No. 6 in B-Flat Major, Op. 18: II. Adagio ma non troppo
3. String Quartet No. 6 in B-Flat Major, Op. 18: III. Scherzo – Trio
4. String Quartet No. 6 in B-Flat Major, Op. 18: IV. ‘La Malinconia’. Adagio – Allegretto quasi allegro
5. String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95: I. Allegro con brio
6. String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95: II. Allegretto ma non troppo
7. String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95: III. Allegro assai vivace ma serioso
8. String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95: IV. Larghetto espressivo – Allegretto agitato
9. String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135: I. Allegretto
10. String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135: II. Vivace
11. String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135: III. Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo
12. String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135: IV. “Der schwer gefaßte Entschluß (The Difficult Decision).” Grave, Ma non troppo tratto (Muss es sein?/Must it be?) – Allegro (Es muss sein!/It must be!) –
Here are the members of the Cremona Quartet, playing the Beethoven String Quartet in B flat major, Op. 18, No. 6; terrific playing!
And next, here’s the same group, telling us more (I just love the Italian language), and they are playing the music of Mozart:
http://youtu.be/5K2tgw7IAxg
Tags: Cremona String Quartet, Beethoven, Opus 18, Opus 95, Opus 135