Presents
Felix Draeseke
String Quartet No.2 in e minor, Op.35
"Draeseke's Second String Quartet which dates from 1886 is both good to hear as well as to play. The first movement, Allegro moderato, opens with a very impressive singing theme in the cello. A clear, mellow second theme follows. The second movement, a Scherzo, is lively and genial while the trio, with its fine melody, is more serious. The slow movement, Adagio molto espressivo, impresses by virtue of its excellent use of tone color and its rich embellishments. The finale, Allegro molto vivace, sports a lively theme which is followed by an inspired lyrical melody."--The famous chamber music critic Wilhelm Altmann writing in his Chamber Music Handbook
Felix Draeseke (1835-1913) was born in the German city of Coburg. He began composing at an early age and subsequently entered the famous Leipzig Conservatory where he studied composition with Julius Rietz and piano with Ignaz Moscheles. However, his musical outlook was shaped and influenced by the so-called New German School of which Liszt and Wagner were the leading proponents. He held a number of teaching positions in Switzerland and Germany, eventually settling in the city of Dresden and a few years later began teaching at the Dresden Conservatory. He wrote in nearly every genre and his works were frequently performed during his lifetime. Liszt was a champion of many of Draeseke’s compositions and helped them gain publication.
String Quartet No.2 was originally published by Kistner in 1886. Unfortunately the publisher did not pay attention to the performance problem of page turns with the result that it was virtually impossible to perform the quartet in public. About 20 years ago, another publisher reissued this edition, but surprisingly did nothing to fix this problem. Our edition has alleviated the page turn problem and we hope that both professionals and amateurs will make the acquaintance of this fine work.
Parts: $24.95
Parts & Score: $32.95
