Presents
Vasily Zolotarev
String Quartet in a minor, Op.6
“Zolotarev’s
String Quartet No.2 in a minor, Op.6 is sure to give chamber music players
pleasure. It is not hard to play. A somewhat ominous Andante introduction leads
to the main section of the opening movement, Allegro. The themes are clearly
based on Russian folk melody, perhaps recalling songs about the Volga. The
second movement, Intermezzo begins with a short Andante introduction which leads
to a graceful Andantino with a somewhat slower and warm blooded middle section.
The Andante which comes next, though it does not plumb the depths nonetheless is
full of sincere feeling. The finale, Allegro vivace, bustles along full of
lyrical melodies.”
--the famous
critic and savant Wilhelm Altmann writing in his Handbook for String Quartet
Players
Vasily Zolotarev (1872-1964) was born in the Russian city of Taganrog. He studied at the St Petersburg Conservatory with Rimsky-Korsakov and Mily Balakirev. He taught at the Moscow Conservatory for a number of years and then in Belarusian Academy of Music in Minsk. He composed in most genres and was especially fond of chamber music. Through Rimsky Korsakov, Zolotarev became part of the so-called Belaiev Circle, named for those composers, mostly Korsakov’s students, whose music was published by Mikhail Petrovich Belaiev, a lumber millionaire who founded and funded a publishing company for the sole purpose of supporting Russian composers and propagating their music. String Quartet No.2 which dates from 1902 was dedicated to Belaiev who published it.
This outstanding work has been unavailable for many decades. We are very pleased to make it available and warmly recommend it to amateurs and professionals alike.
Parts: $24.95
