Presents
Friedrich Ernst Fesca
String Quintet No.1 in D Major, Op.8--New Edition
Friedrich Ernst Fesca (1789-1826) was born in the German town of Magdeburg. He studied piano and violin with several different teachers, including for a short time Ludwig Spohr. By age 16 had already obtained a position as a violinist in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Not long after, he was employed as solo violinist to the Court of Jerome Bonaparte, at that time, King of Westphalia. After this he lived for a while in Vienna where he befriended the famous violinist, Ignaz Schuppanzigh, first violinist of the famous Beethoven Razumovsky String Quartet. Fesca's final years were spent working in Karlsruhe along with fellow composer Franz Danzi. He composed in nearly every genre from opera to solo piano works, however, the bulk of his out put was chamber music. Carl Maria von Weber, writing of Fesca’s chamber music, had this to say. “Mr. Fesca is completely master of whatever he undertakes to express. I am fully convinced of his remarkable talent. His works are carefully written, thoroughly elaborated and richly flavored." Fesca was widely hailed as a worthy successor to Haydn and Mozart and his quartets were frequently performed on a regular basis up until the middle of the 19th century when they began to disappear.
Fesca, as a violinist in a famous string quartet, was obviously very familiar with chamber music. String Quintet No.1 in D Major, Op.8 was composed immediately after two string quartets given the opus number of 7 and was dedicated to a Prussian Count von Hacke. It dates from 1815 about the time he arrived in Vienna from the Westphalian city of Cassel where he had served as solo violinist to the King. The opening movement begins with a substantial Adagio introduction which leads to the main section a genial Allegro. The stunning and exciting second movement is an Adagio ma non troppo in d minor. Next comes a Menuetto, an Allegro moderato also in d minor, which explodes out of the box. With the finale, Allegro non troppo, we are back in the sunny realm of D Major. It is a jolly jaunt.
A good work which audiences will certainly appreciate if brought into the concert hall but also a fine choice for amateurs.
Parts: $29.95
Parts & Score: $44.95
