Presents
Leopold Aimon
String Quartet in C Major, Op.45 No.2
Leopold Aimon (1779-1866) was born in the French town of L’Isle sur la Sorge not far from city of Avignon. He studied cello and composition with his father Esprit Aimon a cellist and director of music for the Danish ambassador to France. His talent was such that he procured several jobs as a conductor of various theater orchestras in Marseilles and Paris. As most composers of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, he wrote a large number of works. Several of his operas were frequently performed in France and beyond. He is said to have composed some thirty string quartets as well as other chamber music which was apparently well thought of as evidenced by the list of subscribers to his Op.45 string quartets. Subscribers were individuals who donated money to help make publication of a composer’s works possible. In the case of the Op.45 quartets which were published around 1820, the list of subscribers contains the names of several important musicians of that era, including Pierre Baillot, Jacques Mazas, Anton Reicha and Beethoven. Several critical works in the 19th century described his chamber music of having considerable appeal and originality.
Op.45 No.2 is the second of a set of three published in Paris. Although published around 1820, they must have actually been composed some years before this as the dedicatee, Baron d l’Horme, died in 1819. The work opens with an Allegro risoluto which combines the style of the late classical era and early emerging romantic. A recurring downward scale passage in the lower voices gives the music an interesting and original feel. Aimon must have been conversant with the music of Haydn as there are some touches here and there of his influence to be heard. In the second movement. Minuetto, the main subject begins with a unison passage which is reappears regularly with dialogues between the various voices. There is no trio as such. This is followed by a delicate and lovely Andante, poco adagio. The finale, Allegretto, starts off in a genial, relaxed fashion, but soon the tempo and excitement pick up.
aced first in the set of three which he published. This was common practice because it was generally
We have reprinted 1820 edition, which to our knowledge is the one and only one ever made. As you might expect from a 200 year old piece of sheet music, it is not pristine and here and there one finds some specks, but it is perfectly readable. This is a worthwhile quartet, not at all hard to play and would be interesting in performance as an example of how music was changing in France at this time.
Parts: $19.95
