Presents
Franciszek Lessel
String Quartet No.8 in B flat Major, Op.19--World Premiere Edition
Franciszek Lessel (1780-1838) was born in the Polish city of Warsaw. His first music lessons were with his father, a prominent pianist and composer. In 1799 he went to Vienna where he studied with Haydn for a decade after which he returned to Warsaw pursuing a career for several years as a pianist and composer. Along with Josef Elsner and Ignacy Dobrzynski, Lessel is considered one of the most important Polish composers of the classical era. To supplement his income, around 1812, Lessel began working as a land administrator for various Polish noble families. According to Lessel's manuscript of the score, which resides Bibliotheque Nationale of France, it was completed in 1824, at which time he was working as the land administrator for the Duchess Maria of Wurtemmberg on her estate in near the Polish town of Pilica. The manuscript also bears the inscription 8th Quartet. It is the only complete quartet of his to have survived. It was never performed during his lifetime and some sources contend that its first performance was in 1996 from parts made from the manuscript by a copyist. Up until now, it has never received a commerical publication.
Although the quartet was composed in 1824, it is, in part, written in the concertante style of the sort the Paul and Anton Wranitzky were writing in Vienna in the late 1790s, and which were quite popular when Lessel was studying there with Haydn. It is in four movements and opens with an Allegro assai with a lilting theme which has much forward drive. It is followed by a lovely, singing melody which serves as the second subject. The second movement, Andante, is more in the nature of a languid adagio. Eventually, a slightly more lively, but still slow dance-like theme, is introduced. The third movement is a bright, bouncing Presto which serves as a scherzo. The contrasting trio section is a kind of Polish country dance. The finale, Allegro assai, is another jaunty dance full of energy.
Our edition, parts and score, were made by senior editors Garik Hayrapetyan and Raymond Silvertrust from a copy of the manuscript in the Bibliotheque Nationale of France. From an historical standpoint, this is an important work as it is one of the earliest quartets composed by an ethnic Polish composer. But that aside, it is strong enough to stand on its own merits. It deserves concert performance but can also be recommended to amateur quartet groups.
Parts: $29.95
Parts & Score: $39.95
