Presents
Leone Sinigaglia
Variations on a Theme by Brahms for String Quartet, Op.22
Leone Sinigaglia (1868-1944) was born in Turin, the capital of the Italian province of Piedmont. After studying at the local conservatory, he went to Vienna where he met Brahms, Goldmark and Mahler, all of whom he befriended. But it was Dvorak with whom he became a close friend, the latter giving him private lessons in orchestration in Prague. Dvorak was also instrumental in interesting Sinigaglia in the use of folk melody. Sinigaglia eventually returned to Turin where he lived the rest of his life teaching and composing. He collected and arranged over 500 Piedmontese folksongs. Chamber music is an important part of his output.
While in Vienna he got to hear a great deal of music including that of Brahms. The theme upon which his variations are based is from the fourth song of a set of seven lieder taken from Brahms', Op.62. The words for the songs which Brahms set to music were by the German poet Paul Heyse. Song No.4 begins with the words Dein Herzlein mild (your little mild heart). While in Vienna, Brahms, knowing that Sinigaglia planned to visit Prague, gave him a letter of introduction to Dvorak. Dvorak in turn introduced Sinigaglia to the Bohemian String Quartet, one of the most famous in Europe, its members consisting of Karel Hoffmann and Josef Suk violins, Oscar Nedbal viola and Hanus Wihan cello. The Variations, of which there are 16 were composed in 1901 and dedicated to the Bohemian String Quartet, who took it with them on tour and popularized it.
This is an appealing work which clearly highlights Sinigaglia's compositional talent. The work makes a fine concert choice as it is the length of a short string quartet. It can also be recommended to amateurs.
Parts: $24.95
Parts & Score: $33.95
