Eduard Schütt
Piano Quartet in F Major, Op.12
“Eduard Schütt's Piano Quartet in F Major is full of elegant, gracious music which pleases. As such, it is a work which is both suitable for concert performance as well as home music making. It plays well and is pleasant to hear. In the opening movement, Allegro moderato, both themes are particularly appealing. The main subject of the Scherzo which comes next show considerable character and is followed by a charming middle section. One can also say that both themes of the Andantino which follows are quite pleasing. Especially effective is a Hungarian dance-like episode in the middle of the movement. The finale, Allegro vivo, a la Russe, features a brisk dance rhythm coupled with an intervening, sweeping, lyrical melody. To sum up, this is a very effective work.”—–Wilhelm Altmann, writing in his Handbook for Piano Quartet Players.
Eduard Schütt (1856-1933) was born in St Petersburg, Russia. A talented pianist, Schütt graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, having studied piano with Theodor Stein and Anton Rubinstein. He then continued his studies at the Leipzig Conservatory where he took further piano lessons from Carl Reinecke and studied composition with Salomon Jadassohn and Ernst Richter. He then moved to Vienna and took additional lessons from Theodor Leschetizky after which he pursued a career as a concert pianist for a few years. He then devoted himself to composing and conducting. Most of Schütt’s works involve the piano. As far as chamber music is concerned, he composed two piano trios, several intrumental sonatas and this Piano Quartet.
As Altmann has written, this is a first class piano quartet which is not only very appealing but also one which does not present any unusual technical difficulties which makes it just as suitable for the concert hall as the stands of amateur players. Long out of print, we are pleased to make it available once again.
Parts: $34.95
