Presents
Otto Malling
Piano Quartet in c minor, Op.80
"Otto Malling's Piano Quartet in c minor, Op.80 dates from 1904. Squarely in the German Romantic tradition, to a certain extent, it shows the influence of Friedrich Kiel. Malling had a gift for melody and this work is full of appealing tunes in all four of the movements--the opening Allegro, the Scherzo allegro and contrasting trio which follow, the a particularly fine Andante and the exciting finale, Allegro con fuoco, which is full of forward motion. This piano quartet can be recommended for concert performance and should not be missed by amateurs as it is a work which presents no technical hurdles and allows experienced groups to sound like pros."---The Guide to the Piano Quartet Literature.
The first movement, Allegro, starts off with a pounding theme which sounds very much like American Indian music. This in turn gives way to considerable lyricism. Next comes an energetic, Scherzo allegro, for the most part dominated by its heavily accented rhythms but it is not without a lilting second subject. The slower, chomatic and waltz-like trio section provides an excellent contrast. The gorgeous third movement, Andante, is a real showcase of Malling's melodic and compositional talent. It is superb in every aspect. The finale, Allegro con fuoco, is full of forward motion, again rhythm plays an important role in moving this exciting music forward.
Otto Malling (1848-1915) was born in Copenhagen. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music with Niels Gade and Johan (J.P.E.) Hartmann. He worked as a teacher and composer and eventually became a professor and then director at the Royal Danish Academy. Among his many students was the composer Knudage Riisager. Most of his compositions were for voice and or organ—he also served as chief organist of the Copenhagen Cathedral many years. However, he also composed orchestral and chamber music music, including a piano trio, a piano quintet and a string octet in addition to this piano quartet. After the First World War as musical tastes changed and the Romantic movement was disparaged, he and his music were promptly forgotten. However, today, he is being rediscovered to the delight of listeners and players.
This piano quartet is a must play for every piano quartet ensemble and should be in your library. Unavailable for nearly a century, we are pleased to bring it back and hope you will give it a chance.
Parts: $34.95
