Presents
Paul Wranitzky
String Trio in F Major, Op.3 No.1
Paul Wranitzky (1756-1808 Pavel Vranický in the Czech form) was born in the town Nová Ríše (then Neureisch) in Moravia. At age 20, like so many other Czech composers of that period, he moved to Vienna to seek out opportunities within the Austrian imperial capital. Wranitzky played a prominent role in the musical life of Vienna. He was on friendly terms and highly respected by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven who preferred him as the conductor of their new works. Wranitzky was, as so many of his contemporaries, a prolific composer. His chamber works number over 100. Wrantizky wrote at least 24 string trios, at least 15 for violin, viola and cello.
Writing about Wranitzky's chamber music in the last part of the 19th century, the famous Belgian critic and musicologist Fetis recalled:
“The music of Wranitzky was in fashion when it was new because of his natural melodies and brilliant style…I recall that, in my youth, his works held up very well in comparison with those of Haydn. Their premature abandonment of today has been for me a source of astonishment.”
The String Trio in F Major, Op.3 No.1 is the first of a set of three which were published in Paris between 1794-95. Like many popular and proflific composers from this era, Boccherini and Pleyel for example, different publishers gave the works different opus numbers hence making them unreliable for posterity. The French publisher Imbault called the first three Op.1 and next three Op.2. That would make this trio his seventh. Few string trios were as advanced as these with each of the voices is given solos but the trios are not concertante trios per se. The opening movement is unusual, not only because it begins Andante, but also because it is a theme and set of variations. The middle movement is a graceful Menuetto with a nicely contrasting moody trio section. The Finale, an upbeat Rondo, is a typical lively romp in 6/8.
We have reprinted the original Imbault edition of 1795. It is perfectly readable but it is not, of course, like a new editon, and for that reason the price is lower than are normally very reasonable trio prices.
Parts: $12.95
