Presents
Joseph Lauber
String Quartet in g minor, Op.5
Joseph Lauber (1864-1952) was born in the Swiss town of Ruswil. He studied organ and composition with Joseph Rheinberger at the Munich Conservatory and also with Louis Diemer and Jules Massenet at the Paris Conservatory. He pursued a career as an organist, teacher and composer, eventually serving as a professor at the Zurich and Geneva conservatories. He was a co-founder of the Swiss Association of Composers. While most of his works were for organ, he did not ignore chamber music, composing a piano trio, piano quartet, piano quintet, a string quintet, several sonatas as well other chamber works for less often performed combinations. Perhaps the best known is his Quartet for Four Basses written for the Berlin Philharmonic Bass Quartet.
His String Quartet in g minor, Op.5 dates from 1897 and was dedicated to his brother Emil. In four movements, it begins with an Andante espressivo introduction which builds tension and leads to the main section, a muscular Allegro energico. The second movement is a quirky Allegretto scherzando followed by a slower contrasting trio section. Next comes a melancholy Adagio non troppo. The finale, Allegro vivace, begins with a question and answer sequence before morphing into a bright upbeat affair, which is constantly interrupted by restless episodes.
Published only once and out of print for long periods of time, this is a fine example of the late Swiss Romantic movement which should be of interest to both professionals and amateurs.
Parts: $24.95
