Presents
Erkki Melartin
String Quartet No.3 in E flat Major, Op.36 No.3
Erkki Melartin's String Quartet No.3 in E flat Major is the third of a set of three known as his Op.36 in 1904. The manuscripts to these quartets can be found in the library of the Sibelius Academy of Helsinki. Our edition is based on those manuscripts. Although given the same opus number, they were not written one after the other but over a period of six years. Melartin was 27.
The big extraordinary opening movement, Allegro moderato, with its many moods and sections could be a string quartet all in itself. It begins in a genial and sunny fashion, but then in the middle a wild and exciting episode with a big cello solo over the tremolo in the other voices. When this finally blows itself out, a powerful fugal section, Allegro moderato ma energico, which sounds like an updated even paced Bachian fugue in the beginning and which gradually picks up speed and becomes rather dramatic leading to the conclusion. The second movement is a lovely Andante. Next up is an Intermezzo, moderato e poco rubato. It does not start off sounding much like an intermezzo, but as the music moves along it slowly assumes the character with a dark hued melody. There are many moods in this movement as well and intermezzo really does not apply to most. The finale is marked Scherzo, vivace is just that, playful and good natured. This is a very appealing work, worthy of concert and home.
Erkki Melartin (1875-1937) was born in the Finnish town of Käkisalmi. He studied with Martin Wegelius in Helsinki and then in Vienna with Robert Fuchs. He pursued a career as a composer, conductor and teacher, serving as the director of the Helsinki Conservatory. He was a prolific composer who wrote in most genres. His music shows the influence of Mahler and is primarily written in the late, post Brahmsian idiom. He did not ignore chamber music and composed a piano quintet, a string quintet, four string quartets and several short works for piano trio. Unfortunately, most of these have remained languishing in manuscript form in libraries and have not been published. His work, as the quartet clearly shows, is quite accomplished and indicates that he was a first rate composer whose music deserves to enter the repertoire and to be heard on a regular basis.
Parts: $29.95
