Presents
Adalbert Gyrowetz
String Quartet in D Major, Op.21 No.3
To paraphrase Bruce Lamott, Adalbert Gyrowetz (1763-1850) was the "Zelig" of music history. Like the lead character of Woody Allen's movie Zelig, Gyrowetz was everywhere and knew everyone worth knowing. He was born in the Bohemian town Budweis, then part of the Austrian Habsburg empire and today known as Budějovice in the Czech Republic. He is sometimes, though not often, known by the Czech form of his name Vojtěch Jírovec. He studied violin and voice with his father, a choirmaster. Gyrowetz traveled throughout Europe, residing for periods in Vienna, Paris, London, Rome, Naples and several other major European cities. Among his friends and acquaintances were Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Goethe and Napoleon to name but a few. His style closely resembles that of Haydn and several of his symphonies were published under Haydn's name by unscrupulous publishers trying to make an extra buck. Mozart thought enough of Gyrowetz's symphonies to perform several of them at concerts in Vienna. Gyrowetz, like most of his contemporaries, was a prolific composer writing some 400 works, among them 60 symphonies, and hundreds of chamber works including approximately 60 string quartets. While today, he has been forgotten and his music consigned to oblivion, this was not always the case. A close friend of both Haydn and Beethoven--he was a pallbearer at Ludwig's funeral--his music was held in respect and frequently performed on the same programs with theirs throughout Europe and even in North America.
The String Quartet in D Major, Op.21 No.3 is the last of a series of three dating from 1798. Like several of his contemporaries such as Boccherini and Pleyel, his works which were quite popular in his day, were published by different publishers in different countries and were often given different opus numbers. The opus 21 quartets, for example, were also known as Op.47 but his actual Op.47 was a set of symphonies. The quartet begins with a powerful Allegro full of energy and approaching the orchestral in sound quality. Next comes a beautiful, singing Adagio. Then comes a lively Menuetto, an Allegro with nicely contrasting trio. Too fast to dance to, it is nonetheless quite appealing. The finale, Allegretto, showcases Gyrowetz's gift for charming melody. It should be noted that all of the voices, and not just the first violin, are generously treated and even given challenging episodes.
This quartet is not only historically important because it sheds light on what other then important composers were doing at the time in Vienna but also because it is pleasing to play and hear. It would make a fine substitute for a Haydn work in concert.
Parts: $24.95
