Presents
Louis Thirion
String Quartet in E Major, Op.10
Louis Thirion (1879-1966) was born in the French town of Baccarat. He studied violin, and organ as well as composition, the later with the French composer Guy Ropartz at the Conservatory of Nancy. At the age of 20, he was appointed professor of piano and organ there, eventually becoming its director in 1918. Besides Ropartz, he was influenced by Cesar Franck, Debussy, Chabrier and Stravinsky. Most of his works were composed between 1900 and 1913. This was in part due to the fact that he was on active duty in the French army from 1914 to 1918 and not long after, his wife died leaving him with two small children to raise. He made the decision then to stop composing and concentrated on performance and conducting. As far as chamber music goes, besides this string quartet, he wrote a piano trio and some instrumental sonatas.
The String Quartet in E Major, Op.10 was dedicated to his friend and fellow composer Florent Schmitt. It dates from 1908. In four movements, it opens with a leisurely Très modéré. Gently flowing, the music is redundant of the fragrance of Ravel and Debussy. The second movement, Assez vif, is full of nervous energy. This is followed by a languid, melancholy Adagio. The finale, Très animé et véhément, is by turns thrusting and full of frenetic motion but also lyricism.
Not available for many years, we are pleased to present it once again.
Parts: $24.95
