Presents
Pierre August Louis Blondeau
String Quartet in a minor, Op.11 No.2
Pierre
Auguste Louis Blondeau (1786-1863) was born in Paris. He entered the Paris
Conservatory where he studied violin with the famous virtuoso Pierre Baillot and
composition with France's leading opera composer Etienne Mehul. In 1807, he was
runner-up and in the following year he won the prestigious Prix de Rome for
composition allowing him to travel to Italy for further study. Blondeau gained a
reputation as a music historian and theorist. Ironically, as a composer, he was
better known for his superb transcriptions of all of Beethoven's piano sonatas
into string quartet than for his own quartets. While several others produced
similiar arrangements, Blondeau's put all of the others to shame. You can here
one of them by clicking
here. Blondeau was
also an active performing chamber musician which in no small part allowed him to
produce such fine transcriptions. Throughout the 19th century these arrangements
were much in demand throughout Europe. Some scholars even believe that Beethoven
actually ordered them to be made.
Blondeau's String Quartet in a minor, Op.11 No.2 is the second of a set of three published around 1820. However, we believed they were composed sometime around 1810. This quartet is not only quite appealing but also has several interesting features to it. For example, the tempo marking of the exciting first movement is Vivace desperato. It is restless, turbulent and perhaps a bit desperate. The second movement, Andantino non troppo, though not so marked, is a theme and set of dance-like variations. An energetic and thrusting Scherzo, full of foward motion follows, with a nicely contrasting trio. The finale, marked Allegro, tarantelle Neopolitaine, accurately captures the raptuous, wild dance-like mood of those denizens of Naples.
This makes a good selection for concert performance and a superb choice for amateurs looking for a concert work as it virtually plays itself while sounding quite convincing. We have reprinted the one and only edition.
Parts: $24.95
