Attention String quartet players: the long wait is over! Henle launches its series of late Beethoven quartets with Op. 131 in c sharp minor and Op. 132 in a minor using the definitive urtext from theBeethoven Gesamtausgabe. It need hardly be added that great care was taken to find sensible page turns. The quartets will also appear simultaneously in miniature scores with exactly the same text and commentary. Theeditor Emil Platen has given each volume detailed critical comments consisting of a preface explanatory footnotes and an impressive section of editorial remarks. All of Beethoven‘s late String quartets are scheduledfor subsequent publication in the Gesamtausgabe. Franz Beyer the authority on String quartets with regard to this new issue: 'The most significant edition over the last twenty years worldwide!'

Arnold Schönberg: String Quartet No. 2 - F# minor for soprano and string quartet op. 10 PH229 Arnold Schoenberg's String Quartet No. 2 op. 10 with soprano (1907 /1908) is among the founding documents of New Music. Instrument: for soprano and string quartet Edition type: pocket score Composer: Schönberg Arnold 'This quartet adds a new element to Schoenberg's creative oeuvre: brevity. It was already indicated by the succinctness of the Chamber Symphony and is clearly expressed in the structure of the F sharp minor Quartet with four shorter movements. There is only a small step from the harmonic language of this work to a complete renunciation of tonality. The last movement - although, in the main, belonging to F sharp mayor - no longer carries a key signature. Chromatic alteration turns the fourth chords into harmonies never heard before, free from any tonal context.' (Anton Webern)

This single-movement for String quartet employs some of the more familiar elements of Herrmannâ??s compositional style: short musical phrases repeated and then repeated again in other positions sharp use of dynamics among them. It is a fascinating sidelight into the work of one of the 20th centuryâ??s most brilliant composers.Bernard Herrmann was among the greatest of all composers of music for cinema and there are many who avow that he was the greatest of all. A very short list of the films for which this award-winning composer created soundtracks includes Citizen Kane The Man Who Knew Too Much Vertigo Jason and Argonauts Fahrenheit 451 Obsession and Taxi Driver. He had along and fertile association with Alfred Hitchcock during the most productive period of Hitchcockâ??s career and with Orson Welles from the time of the Mercury Theatre on the Air. In addition to his conducting and composing work for the entertainment world Herrmann wrote concert pieces including a symphony opera and cantata.

Volume One
Quartet No. 1 in F Major, Op.18, No. 1
Quartet No. 2 in G Major, Op.18, No. 2
Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op.18, No. 3
Quartet No. 4 in C Minor, Op.18, No. 4
Quartet No. 5 in A Major, Op.18, No. 5
Quartet No. 6 in B-flat Major, Op.18, No. 6
Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1
Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2
Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3
Volume Two
Quartet No. 10 in E-flat Major, Op. 74
Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95
Quartet No. 12 in E-flat Major, Op. 127
Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130
Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 131
Quartet No. 15 in A Minor, Op. 132
Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135
Grosse Fuge in B-flat Major, Op. 133

The second of the Quartets commissioned by the Naxos label was completed in January 2003. This work swings between nervous virtuosic energy to the serene calm of an extended Lento with exotic harmonies reminiscent of Bartok andis characterised by it's sharp and unpredictable contrasts. First performed by the Maggini Quartet on 11 July 2003 at the Pittville Pump Room Cheltenham as part of the Cheltenham International Festival. This is the set ofparts. A miniature score of the piece is available catalogue number CH66594.

String Quartet a minor op. 132-Attention String quartet players: the long wait is over! Henle launches its series of late Beethoven quartets with Op. 131 in c sharp minor and Op. 132 in a minor using the definitive urtext from theBeethoven Gesamtausgabe. It need hardly be added that great care was taken to find sensible page turns. The quartets will also appear simultaneously in miniature scores with exactly the same text and commentary. Theeditor Emil Platen has given each volume detailed critical comments consisting of a preface explanatory footnotes and an impressive section of editorial remarks. All of Beethoven‘s late String quartets are scheduledfor subsequent publication in the Gesamtausgabe. Franz Beyer the authority on String quartets with regard to this new issue: 'The most significant edition over the last twenty years worldwide!'

Par SCHWEITZER BENJAMIN. The chiaroscuro-technique developed by painters of the Italian renaissance served to intensify contrasts and effects of optical depth. In Klar/Obskur, I tried to transfer the general idea of this technique on the rather unusual instrumentation of two double-reed woodwinds and piano. On the one hand, a clear, well articulated playing is characteristic for these instruments, on the other hand, they have an often underestimated potential of „twilight“: air-sounds and fragile, shady colours have a especially attractive when being produced by double-reed instruments (which are often, and superficially regarded as being less capable of differentiated sounds than flute or clarinet). The piano, too, has a broad bandwidth of possibilities between percussive and delicate playing to complement the woodwinds which, in return, can absorb and continue the fading piano sounds. The beginning introduces the two contrasting elements that form the basic material for the piece: a clear, sharp chord, followed by fragile, dim sounds. The changes between these elements as well as their combination and amalgamation produce an enormous spectrum of colours and gesture. After this „motto-like“ opening follow four quite clearly separated short sections, each of them being characterised by a well-defined texture: a partly almost imperceptible air-sound passage, a short sequence of microintervallic notes, a burst of virtuosity and a recourse to the fragile sounds of the beginning. The second, longer main part consists of three sections merging subtly into each other: a short unisono-passage, marked elastic [federnd], is being dissolved into its basic elements; from these remainders, a confrontation of low, ‚arcane‘ bassoon and piano sounds and a strongly ornamented melodic line of the oboe emerges, leading to a short but powerful climax. The piece is concluded by an extended, relaxed epilogue, containing a short piano solo and a duet of oboe and bassoon and, finally, a quotation of the „elastic“ character of the middle section. Benjamin Schweitzer / Date parution : 2007-11-20/ Répertoire / Hautbois, Basson et Piano

Nadia Boulanger's Three Pieces for Viola and Piano transcribed from the original for Cello. Posterity has retained of Nadia Boulanger only her gifts as a virtuoso of the piano and organ her skill as a conductor (of vocal ensemble and orchestra) and most of all her incredible charisma as a teacher. For nearly sixty years 'Mademoiselle' made the most of her famous Wednesdays bringing rigour and passion to the training of several generations of musicians: among so many others Aaron Copland Leonard Bernstein Igor Markevitch Michel Legrand Witold Lutoslawski Astor Piazzolla Quincy Jones and John-Eliot Gardiner have all kept unforgettable memories of thesetimes.Was Nadia Boulanger wrong to let teaching music take precedence over her composing as Gabriel Fauré the great master she venerated believed? The publication of Three Pieces for Viola and Piano raises the question. This transcription of Three Pieces for cello and piano was composed between 1911 and 1913 and published by Heugel. The two initial pieces were originally written for organ: the first in E flat minor brings a moderate tempo to a melancholy cantilena with Romantic accents while the second in A minor exudes warmth and tenderness. The third piece (C sharp minor) most likely originally titled Danse espagnole heralds the Roaring Twenties with its restlessness and festive crackle. Together they emit a charm that is difficult to resist.

Opp. 127 130-133 135-Beethoven's late String Quartets are universally regarded as supreme transcendent works - among the greatest and most intimate music in chamber literature. Composed in the last years of the master's life - between 1823 and 1827 - these quartets contain astonishing experiments in thematic development and musical form that laid the foundation for innovations in 20th Century string quartet writing especially in the important works of Bartok and Shostakovich.This volume reprinted from the definitive Breitkopf and Hartel edition includes:String Quartet No.12 In E Flat Op.127String Quartet No.13 In B Flat Op.130String Quartet No.14 In C Sharp MinorOp.131String Quartet No.15 In A Minor Op.132String Quartet No.16 In F Op.135 and theGrosse Fuge In B Flat Op.133This convenient affordable volume is the ideal edition for study in the classroom at home or in the concert hall.

Though conceived as four separate movements my second string quartet has a single motif which is common to them all. This is the three-note 'Muss es sein?' from Beethoven's last quartet Op. 135. But whereas Beethoven's theme is notated G E A flat thus giving it an F minor connotation I have sued an alternative spelling - G E G sharp - which suggests an ambiguous E minor-major. This ambiguity in fact becomes the tonal basis of the whole work only to be resolved at the end of the final movement.Each movement begins with a variant of the basic motif on the cello. The first has the original form of the theme while the second has a 'majorised' version which is alsoexpressed as a chord. The third movement with its 'scherzoid' middle section reverts to the major-minor ambiguity of the first and the finale begins with the 'majorised' version as an ostinato accompaniment on pizzicato cello.The slow movement is sub-titled 'In memoriam DSCH' and concludes with a quotation of Shostakovich's motto - D E flat C B - which is basically the same as Beethoven's with the addition of one note.This is not to imply that the work contains no other thematic material. One important theme a rising fifth and a second is also common to three of the movements and is ultimately derived from my first quartet Op. 1 of 27 years earlier to which this second contribution to the form is in many ways like a sequel. Like the earlier work too this quartet is dedicated to my wife.

for String Quartet. Par . This iconic traditional Irish melody shines in this accessible arrangement by Larry Moore. Moore's cut-time version begins in G major but modulates to A major for the final section, providing much-needed experience with C-sharps and G-sharps! / Date parution : 2023-01-24/ Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes

Muzika aizlidoju'ajiem putniem / Music for Fleeting Birds. Par VASKS PETERIS. This is the first of two works by the successful Latvian composer for this instrumentation. It was written in 1977 and shows his early compositional style: while freely notated in the beginning, improvisational sections then change over to chordal passages with sharply accentuated rhythm. It is particularly in the freely notated parts of the work that birdcalls and nature sounds appear as onomatopoeic sounds. The particular challenge is not in the virtuosity of the individual part, but in creating the special atmosphere through perfect harmony. As in most other works by the composer, the bond with nature plays a special role. Unlike any other composer, he gives nature a musical voice./ Répertoire / Flûte Traversière, Hautbois, Clarinette, Cor et Ba

Par SIBELIUS JEAN. The Suite is a student exercise, first performed 13. 4. 1889 at a musical soirée at the Helsinki Music Institute. Ferruccio Busoni, who was teacher of piano at the Institute at the time, described the first performance as follows: “We sharpened our concentration as we realised that we were about to hear something quite beyond the usual standard for student works…”. In the A major suite, colour comes to the fore for the first time as a major element in Sibelius’s music. The emphasis on sonic texture is joined – somewhat unusually for such an early work – by a fairly bold handling of rhythm and harmony. Unfortunately only the first three movements of the suite have survived in tact. The concept of the missing Gigue has survived, however, and is included in this publication./ Répertoire / Trio à Cordes