Presents
Hans Lavater
String Quartet in g minor, Op.23
Hans Lavater (1885-1969) was born in Zurich. He studied composition and voice with Friedrich Hegar at the Zurich Academy of Music and then with Fritz Steinbach at the Cologne Conservatory. He pursued a career as a choir director and conductor eventually becoming Music Director at the Zurich Academy of Music as well as Zurich University. While most of his works were for voice and choir, he did not ignore chamber music, composing a piano quartet, piano quintet as well as this string quartet.
His String Quartet in g minor, Op.23 dates from 1923. The tempo marking of the first movement, In ruhiger, freier Bewegung (In a calm, free tempo), however, there are constant tempo changes. It begins as an Allegro but soon slows down only to speed up again with further changes. All in all, the use of tempo changes is quite effective. The second movement, Energisch, rasch (energetic and quick) is a scherzo. As in the first movement, there are sudden unexpected tempo changes which are quite effective. The third movement, Mit grossem Ausdruck (with great expression), given the metronome marking of quartet note = 54, is clearly an Adagio. It starts out sounding like a funeral march but as it develops becomes somewhat more lyrical but also tonally adventurous. The finale is simply marked Frisch (fresh) with not metronome marking. It opens with a march-like restatement of the main theme from the first movement. But quickly it is developed by the introduction of competing themes. Densely scored the writing is quite interesting.
Few works by Swiss composers seem to get the attention they deserve. Surely this is one. Concert performance would not be amiss and the work, which presents no technical difficulties, can be warmly recommended to amateurs seeking a post-Romantic era work.
Parts: $24.95
