Presents
Franz Krommer
String Quartet in G Major, Op.92 No.3
Krommer's String Quartet in G Major, Op.92 No.3 is the last of a set of three dating from 1816. Krommer, who was by then nearly 60, and while he did not entirely abandon the late Viennese Classical style, nevertheless, his style had advanced in several ways and it would be fair to say that, like Hummel's it was the harbinger of the emerging early Romantic movement. The opening movement, Allegro con scherzo, is rather unusual not only because Krommer chose to call it a scherzo but also because of the constant drum beat rhythm of the main theme which gives the music a military flavor. The second movement is a lovely Adagio. The clever Menuetto, allegretto which comes next is dominated by its teasing rhythm and here the trio rather resembles the main section. The flowing finale, Allegro, is full of energy and forward drive.
Franz Krommer (1759-1831) was one of the most successful composers in Vienna at the turn of the 18th Century. His reputation was attested to by the fact that his works were frequently republished throughout Germany, England, France, Italy, Scandinavia and the U.S. According to contemporaries, he was regarded along with Haydn as the leading composer of string quartets and as a serious rival of Beethoven. Krommer was a Czech violinist of considerable ability who came to Vienna around 1785. For the following 10 years he held appointments at various aristocratic courts in Hungary. He returned to Vienna in 1795 where he remained until his death, holding various positions including that of Court Composer (Hofmusiker) to the Emperor, Franz I. There are more than 300 compositions which were at one time or another published, much of which is chamber music. Wilhelm Altmann, in his Handbook for String Quartet Players writes that "Krommer knew how to write for string instruments and as a result what he wrote sounds brilliant."
We have reprinted an early edition which is both readable and performable, though it does not compare, of course, to a new edition.
Parts: $24.95
