Ignaz Lachner: Chamber Composer par Exellence.

[John H White]

There has been very little said on this Forum about the string quartets and piano trios of Ignaz Lachner (1807-1895), all of which have been available for several years on CD under the Amati and Claves labels respectively. Of course, he tends to be overshadowed by his elder and more adventurous brother, Franz (1803-1890); but for sheer melodic invention and satisfying sound I believe he has no rival amongst 19th Century composers unless, of course, you prefer drama to melody. I would go even further and claim that, in the field of chamber music, he is the "Mozart" of the 19th Century. I'm glad to say that the sheet music for most of these works is now available from such publishers as Merton Music.

[chill319]

Thanks, John. I believe Ignaz Lachner's is a perfect example of the kind of music I'm glad this forum has brought to my attention.  His chamber music is, as you intimate, masterfully tuneful, impeccably Viennese, and less troubled than Schubert's (after 1819) or even than Onslow's, (Forgive me if I'm putting inappropriate words in your mouth.)

Imagine Ignaz Lachner's chamber music being written in 1750 rather than 1850. Isn't it extraordinary?  I mean this quite sincerely, since the ascendence of J. S. Bach to the top of the musical food chain was only possible in his great-grandchildren's generation, when fashion had less to do with the evaluation of his output.

The only question that hangs in my mind is: what is the value of originality, of a Berwald?

[eschiss1]

Thanks, John. I believe Ignaz Lachner's is a perfect example of the kind of music I'm glad this forum has brought to my attention.  His chamber music is, as you intimate, masterfully tuneful, impeccably Viennese, and less troubled than Schubert's (after 1819) or even than Onslow's, (Forgive me if I'm putting inappropriate words in your mouth.)

Imagine Ignaz Lachner's chamber music being written in 1750 rather than 1850. Isn't it extraordinary?  I mean this quite sincerely, since the ascendence of J. S. Bach to the top of the musical food chain was only possible in his great-grandchildren's generation, when fashion had less to do with the evaluation of his output.

The only question that hangs in my mind is: what is the value of originality, of a Berwald?

Hrm? Clarify?
Value of originality, very little. Of (Franz) Berwald's music, very much (in my honest but subjective opinion).  I'm not at all sure I understand the question, though, which can be taken two or three ways...

Eric

[John H White]

I certainly wouldn't date Ignaz Lachner's style as early as 1750, I would rather see it as an extension of Mozart's later quartet style of the 1780s and 90s.
  Of course, big brother Franz's early quartets (Op75-77) are also very tuneful, in fact I would go so far as to say that Op. 76 is almost indistinguishable in style from the last chamber works of his good friend Schubert. However, Franz became more adventurous and dramatic than his younger brother in his later quartets.

[chill319]

What I didn't say very well regarding 1750 was that the relationship of music to historical context is a very slippery subject. Ignaz Lachner's quartets would have been almost unthinkably revolutionary in 1750. In 1950 they would have been "mere pastiches," like Kreisler's baroque "discoveries." In 1850 they were quite conservative works, but also quite well written. At what point does the music define its own quality, regardless of what we know about its historical context? Perhaps this is defined by listeners and their responses, by people like ourselves.