Presents
Ludwig von Stainlein
String Quartet No.2 in C Major, Op.11
Count Ludwig von Stainlein (1819-1867) known to his publishers as Louis de Stainlein, was born in the Slovakian village of Horne Semerovce, then part of the Hungarian Kingdom which was part of the Austrian Habsburg Empire. He was educated in Munich and studied the cello with Ignaz Sigl. Afterwards, he served as an officer in the Austrian army and sent to Paris as an attaché at the Austrian embassy. He used this opportunity to further his cello studies and also composition. There, he became friends with Felix Mendelssohn and Giocomo Meyerbeer who encouraged him to compose. He settled in Munich where he met and befriended Max Bruch who also encouraged his compositional skills. Never in good health, he traveled extensively. In Baden Baden where he stayed on account of his health, he befriend the violin virtuoso, Camillo Sivori to whom he dedicated his string quintet. He often wintered in Rome where he befriend Liszt who also encouraged him. Not a prolific composer, his oeuvre is dominated by chamber music and includes two string quartets, the aforementioned string quintet and a piano trio along with several works for cello.
His String Quartet No.2 was the second he composed in 1856 while living in Paris. The opening Allegro con moto begins with a heroic main theme. In its second and more lyrical section there are tinges of Mendelssohn. The second movement is a bright, rhythmically interesting Scherzo allegro with a nicely contrasting trio section. Third comes a lovely Andante religioso. The finale, Allegro vivace assai, is full of excitement and foreward motion.
His string quartet has many original touches for a mid Romantic era work and deserves to be heard in concert but can be warmly recommended to amateurs as it easy to play.
Parts: $24.95
