Presents
Leopold Kozeluch
String Quartet No.6 in F Major, Op.33 No.3--New Edition
Kozeluch's Op.33 No.3 in F Major, is the last of his second set of three which he completed around 1789 and published himself in 1790. Dr Charles Burney, the famous English music scholar and critic had this to say about Kozeluch's string quartets:
"Kozeluch's string quartets are in general excellent, abounding with solidity, good taste, correct harmony; and the imitations of Haydn are less frequent than in any other master of that school."
Leopold Kozeluch (1747-1818 Koželuh in the Czech form) was born in the Bohemian town of Velvary, northwest of Prague. He was baptised Jan Antonín, but changed his name to Leopold to distinguish himself from his cousin, who was Kapellmeister of the famous St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague for almost 3 decades. He studied law in Prague, while continuing his musical studies with his cousin and the famous virtuoso pianist Frantisek Dusek. In 1778, he moved to Vienna, where he briefly studied with Albrechtsberger and then established himself as one of its leading pianists and teachers. After Mozart's death he was appointed Imperial Chamber Conductor and Court Composer. Among his many students were the composer Maria Theresia von Paradis, Archduchess Elisabeth, Empress Maria Theresia's daughter and Marie-Louise, daughter of the Austrian Emperor Franz and Napoleon's second wife. Kozeluch was, as were virtually all of his contemporaries, a prolific composer, leaving more than 400 works in every genre, including 6 string quartets. In 1784 Kozeluch founded his own publishing house, the Musikalisches Magazin to publish his own compositions, including the Op.33 quartets.
String Quartet No.6 in F Major, Op.33 No.6 was Kozeluch’s last venture into the realm of the string quartet and one of his best. The opening theme to the first of its three movements, Allegro, holds one’s interest by virute of its development, which is shared by the first violin and cello. In the second movement, Adagio ma non troppo, Kozeluch reaches into his bag of melodies and pulls out a lovely theme. His finale, Allegretto—Scherzando, is first rate. The main theme is a lively Czech dance.
This quartet would make a good choice where a replacement for a Haydn on a concert program is desired and can also be recommended to amateurs without hesitation.
Parts: $24.95
Parts & Score: $34.95
