Presents
Friedrich Dotzauer
Quartet in a minor for Flute, Violin, Viola & Cello, Op.38
Encouraged by his father to pursue a musical career, Johann Justus Friedrich Dotzauer (1783-1860) studied the piano and violin before eventually choosing the cello as his main instrument. His talent was clear to all early on and he began giving concerts by the time he was fifteen. A few years later, he was serving as a cellist in the court orchestra of Meiningen. Eventually he was able to obtain the prestigious position of solo cellist in the Royal Orchestra at Dresden. His playing dazzled all who heard it, and his skills as a teacher resulted in what became known as the "Dresden school" of cello performance. He concertized to much acclaim throughout Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and France, continuing to perform in public right up until his retirement in 1850. Many of his students became famous cellists in their own right and include such names as Friedrich Grützmacher, Bernhard Cossmann and Julius Goltermann.
Dotzauer’s Quartet for Flute and Strings in a minor, Op.38 dates from 1816 and is the second of three such works he was to compose. The lovely and genial main theme to the opening Allegro con espressione, is introduced first by the flute and then given to the violin and then the cello. The middle movement, Andante, is calm and mostly peaceful. The finale, a Rondo allegro, is a pleasant affair with a clever fugue in the middle. While the flute takes the part that the first violin would have in a standard string quartet, this is by no means a show off work for flute. The other voices are given chances to shine.
Parts: $19.95
