Presents
Josef Bohuslav Foerster
String Quartet No.5 in G Major
Josef Bohuslav Foerster's String Quartet No.5 was composed during the last months of his life in 1951 when he was already ill Not surprisingly it is in many ways a valedictory work as he was quite aware that his life was coming to an end. The quality of the writing is truly amazing especially when you consider that it was composed by a 91 year old man in poor health. It was his final work and was dedicated to "My very good wife Olenka." (His second wife Olga whom he married in 1936 at age76 after the death of his first wife). The quartet bears the subtitle Vestec, the name of the village just to the west of Prague to which he retired and where he died. In this quartet. Foerster looks backward to the days of Dvorak and Smetana and Czech nationalism in music. The opening movement, Allegro, begins vigorously but then turns into an elegant and graceful Czech dance harking back to bygone days. The middle movement, Allegro vivo, recalls the time of Dvorak and happy days from his own past. The third movement, Adagio con fantasia, begins with a lengthy cello solo which seamlessly turns into a romantic and slightly sad Andante sostenuto. When asked why he did not complete the work, Foerster replied that he had left it unfinished intentionally and that it was meant to symbolize one's path in life, which does not end with physical departure from the world.
Josef Bohuslav Foerster (1859-1951) was born in Prague and first studied with his father who was a leading organist and Professor at the Prague Conservatory. Foerster studied organ at the Prague Organ School and composition at the Conservatory. Upon graduation he took over from Dvorak as chief organist in one of Prague's leading churches. He was on friendly terms with all of the leading Czech composers and was initially influenced by Smetana and Dvorak. He worked as a music critic in Hamburg after marrying the leading Czech soprano who was engaged at the Hamburg opera. In Hamburg, he met and became close friends with Mahler as well as Tchaikovsky. When Mahler left for Vienna, Foerster followed him and became a professor at the New Vienna Conservatory. After the formation of the Czech Republic in 1918, he returned to Prague where he taught for many years at the Conservatory. His music while initially influenced by Smetana and Dvorak, later changed as did musical styles, although he always remained a tonal composer. After his first period, his works no longer could be considered nationalistic as he stopped employing the idioms of Czech folk music and adopted a more perstonal and mystical style. He composed in most genres and left a considerable amount of chamber music including five string quartets and three piano trios.
Forget that this is the work of a 91 year old man close to death, it is by any standard a first rate quartet deserving concert performance, and is especially poignant for what it represents. It is not at all difficult to play and as such can also be recommended to amateurs.
Parts: $24.95
Parts & Score: $33.95
