Presents
Leopold Jansa
String Quartet No.10 in a minor, Op.65 No.1
Jansa's String Quartet No.10 in a minor, Op.65 No.1 dates from 1844 and is the first of a set of three. In four movements, the opening Allegro moderato begins with a fetching melody passed from voice to voice. The extensive development section leads to an energetic second subject, Next comes a Scherzo vivace with a heavily accented main subject which moves along with considerable thrust. A calmer and contrasting trio section follows. The third movement is a deeply felt Adagio un poco andante, The finale, Allegro con fuoco, is full of exciting episodes.
Leopold Jansa (1795-1875) in the village of Wildenschwert in Bohemia, then part of the Habsburg Empire. (now known as: Ústí nad Orlicí in the Czech Republic), He took violin lessons as a child in his home town but was largely self-taught which was surprising as he was later regarded, along with Joseph Mayseder and Carl Bohm as one Vienna’s leading violinists. In Vienna he studied law but also studied composition with Václav Voříšek and Emanuel Förster. He was eventually appointed Imperial Court Virtuoso and became a professor of Violin University of Vienna and the Vienna Conservatory. From 1834 to 1850, he participated in various String quartets. He took over from Ignaz Schuppanzigh as lead violin in the Schuppanzigh Quartet, Vienna’s most famous quartet, which had been responsible for premiering most of Beethoven’s quartets. He wrote a considerable amount of chamber music including 13 string quartets. His style is that of the Vienna Romantic movement. He lost his positions in Vienna as a result of his participation in a London concert in aid of the wounded who had fought for Hungarian independence in the Revolution of 1848. As a result, he was barred from returning to the Austrian Empire. Well regarded in London, he choose to remain there for two decades, until he was finally pardoned in 1868, working as a soloist and violin teacher. Among his students were Wilma Neruda, (Lady Hallé), and Karl Goldmark
This is another good work suitable both for concert hall and home. It has been unavailable now for many years and we are pleased to make it available once again.
Parts: $24.95
