Presents
Giuseppe Cambini
String Quartet in b minor, Op.40 No.3, T.159
Cambini's String Quartet in b minor, Op.40 No.3 T.159 dates from 1789. It is one of a set of 12 quartets which he published that year. The opus numbers of Cambini’s works are meaningless as different publishers often used the same opus number for an entirely different set of works. Op.40 is an example of this. Besides referring to this set of quartets, it also refers to a set of string trios. According to D.L. Trimpert, the cataloger of Cambini’s quartets, hence the T numbers, this set of quartets was one of his last. It is in three movements—A stormy Allegro risoluto, followed by lovely vocal Largo and concluded by an exciting Presto.
Giuseppe Cambini (1746–1825) was born in the Italian town of Livorno, Surprisingly little is known of his life, given that he and his music was immensely popular in Paris during the 1770’s and 1780’s where he was then living. Much of what we know of Cambini’s early life comes from his own account, which he almost certainly embellished. He claimed to have studied the violin with Filippo Manfredi and that he was the violist in a quartet which included Pietro Nardini on first violin and Luigi Boccherini on cello. He made Mozart’s acquaintance in Paris when the latter was touring there but most likely did know Haydn whom he claimed was a friend of his. Cambini emigrated to Paris in the early 1770’s. There, his music was extremely well received and he began cranking out works with great rapidity. He wrote more than 80 symphonies, fourteen operas and 150 string quartets as well as numerous trios, quintets etc. One might almost conclude that he had a factory full of elves working away for him.
Nonetheless, several of his works are not only historically important, but interesting enough to stand on their own. This quartet is one such work and shows why Cambini's chamber music was in such demand in late 18th century France.
Parts: $24.95
