Louis Spohr - missing String Quartet[s]

[FBerwald]

Although Marco Polo has done an almost complete series of Spohr's String Quartets, No. 10 , 18, 23 and 26 are yet to be done. Of these there seems to be no mention of No. 10 anywhere. Is this work lost? What about the other three?

[eschiss1]

Brown's Spohr: A Critical Biography can be partially viewed at Google Books. Maybe it has some information, but it tends to refer to the quartets by opus no., and the "quartet no."/opus no. relation with Spohr is messy. If only one of them is missing, I guess it would have been a singleton...

Hrm. [http://imslp.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Louis_Spohr IMSLP] lists a quartet no.8 (op.33) but no quartet no.9... does this list correspond to Marco Polo's list-so-far? (Pardon the French- also at Wikipedia- someone copied from the French Wikipedia and I admit I, and others, have obviously been a bit daunted (even though I used to speak ok French...) by the prospect of translating the blasted thing _and_, more importantly, getting it into less prosaic, more ... erm, listy shape.)

[eschiss1]

I think Marco Polo has released a recording of op.61 in B minor quartet 18 (by the listing on that page) suggesting that the numbering on that page is not the numbering Marco Polo is using (not surprising, again)...

[Santo Neuenwelt]

Dr Bernard Jacobs writing in Vol. 8 No.3 of The Chamber Music Journal has this to say about Quartet No.10, Op.30 "We now come to Op. 30 where one senses an entrance into a different world, more programmatic and romantic. A strongly optimistic tone comes to the fore immediately in the first movement. Although the first violin has a facile display the others players are integrated into the narrative flow. The effect, when all the players follow the designated dynamics scrupulously, is superb. The Adagio is truly sublime, with ornate embellishments from the first violin, finally ending in an elegiac and resigned mood. The dramatic minuet contains a trio which evokes the sounds of a duo of hunting horns and in fact this leads into a truly remarkable last movement Vivace. The preamble of the "horns" assembling the riders in the distance is followed by what sounds for all the world like galloping horses. I have taken to calling this piece Spohr's "Hunt" quartet. The imagery is further enhanced by Spohr himself calling it his "Paradepferd" (parade horse) because he was asked to play this quartet so often at private parties."

In the same article as to Quartet No. 18, Op.61 he writes, Op.61 "A Solo Quartet Op. 61 and a Brilliant Quartet Op.68 give occasion to compare the two formats and leave one preferring the latter because of somewhat greater prominence of the other 3 parts."

In the same article, as to Quartet No.23, Op.82 No.1, he writes, "Ten years later the three quartets of Op. 82 appeared, the best of these being Op.82 No.3. The first quartet, Op.82 No.1, seems to lack inspiration in the outer movements. However the Andantino is quite touching with its very effective pastorale quality. Again, strict attention to Spohr's designated dynamics is essential to create the proper effect. The reply to the theme is played higher on the string with interesting parts for the other strings. The scherzo and its trio have the familiar Spohr elan."

As to Quartet No.25, Op.83, he writes, "The Quatuor Brillant Op. 83 (1830) requires much facility for the solo violin, (many passages in thirds and tenths) and the other parts simply accompany, totally unlike the traditional quartet. However if all can get past the first movement, a highly embellished Adagio and Alla Polacca await. It was around this time that Spohr wrote one of his successful operas, The Alchemist (1830) which featured exotic passages scored with castanets and tambourines, lending Spanish and even Gypsy coloring. Also at this time his widely utilized and famous Violin Schule appeared in print. In it, he makes recommendations on the execution of a 'regular' quartet; that it should display the ideas of the composer rather than the talent of the violinist."

All issues of The Chamber Music Journal are now available online in pdf format (with a searchable index to articles) at www.chambermusicjournal.org
Santo Neuenwelt, Senior Editor
Edition Silvertrust

[FBerwald]

Quartet No. 18, OP. 61 has not been recorded by MP.

[eschiss1]

ah ok- thanks. thought it had for some reason...
and that should have been list of works at IMSLP of course. sorry... They do seem to be missing a quartet before quartet "no.10 op.33" there, though that may have been a typo, don't know. (... erm, quartet op.33?... wait. Op.33 is two string quintets.  _What_ is going on here?...)


Ah, no.10 is op.30. Thanks for clearing that up.