Presents
Richard Stöhr
String Quartet in c minor, Op.6
Frederick Stock (1872-1942) was born in the German city of Julich His original name was Friedrich August Stock, but when he emigrated to the United States and made his name as the conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, he anglicized his first name. At the age of 14, he entered the Cologne Conservatory where he studied violin with Georg Japha and composition with Engelberg Humperdinck, Gustav Jensen and conducting with Franz Wullner. After graduating from the conservatory in 1890, Stock joined the Municipal Orchestra of Cologne as a violinist. In 1895, Stock met with Theodore Thomas, founder and first music director of the then fledgling Chicago Symphony Orchestra, who was to have a decisive impact on his future. Thomas, who was then visiting Germany in search of recruits for his new Chicago orchestra. He auditioned Stock and hired him as a violist. Thomas soon realized, however, that his new violist was also a very talented conductor and, in 1899, Stock was promoted to assistant conductor. After Thomas' death in 1905, Stock succeeded him as music director. Under Stock's direction, the Chicago Symphony became one of America's top orchestras.
Stock's reputation as a conductor was such that it totally eclipsed his compositional efforts, a fate which often befell composers and performers, such as prominent conductor Felix Weingartner and virtuoso pianist Ferruccio Busoni to name but two. Stock's String Quartet in c minor was published in 1910 and dedicated to Franz Kneisl, concertmaster of the Boston Symphony and leader of what was then the leading string quartet ensemble in the United States. It is a very interesting work combining influences of Brahms, his teacher Humperdinck and Max Reger. That it quickly disappeared can be attributed to the fact that it was composed in America by a German who was best known as a leading conductor.
Parts: $24.95
Parts & Score: $34.95
