Presents
Heinrich Kaminski
String Quintet in f sharp minor
For 2 Violins, 2 Violas & Cello
"It is a pity that Heinrich Kaminski's massive but outstanding string quintet, composed in 1917, is a work which can only be managed by very good amateur players as well as professionals. There is no denying that the work presents some rhythmic, tempo and intonation challenges, but it is also an extraordinary artistic accomplishment..."---Wilhelm Altmann writing in his Chamber Music Handbook.
Heinrich Kaminski (1886-1946) was born in the German town of Tiengen. He studied composition at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin with Hugo Kaun and Paul Juon. Subsequently, he worked as a piano teacher, choirmaster and teacher of composition. Later he received a professorship at the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin where he held master classes in composition. Carl Orff was among his many students.
His String Quintet in f sharp minor is a highly original, individualistic and powerful post romantic era work, at times polyphonic but completely tonal in the traditional sense. Certainly it is not a work which lends itself to a short description and listening to the soundbites will give you a far better idea than anything we can add here. On the recommendation of Bruno Walter, Kaminski chose to arrange the quintet for string orchestra in 1927 and when the work is heard at all, it is in this version. While very effective, this version loses some of the intimacy one finds in the quintet version. Unfortunately, there has been no recording of the quintet version and therefore our soundbites are of his string orchestra arrangement which still will give you an accurate feeling for the work.
Out of print for a very long time, there is no question that if it were brought into the concert hall it would make an indelible impressin because there is nothing like it in the string quintet literature.
Parts: $29.95
