Presents
Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Piano Quintet in E Major, Op.15
Korngold's Piano Quintet in E major; Opus 15, dates from 1920. It is heroic and effusively romantic. His melodic style owes much to the atmosphere of his opera, Die tote Stadt (The Dead City). It is a rather elaborate work. Conceived in three movements, it teems with ideas. It opens with an expansive, bold, upward-leaping and intensely romantic subject and is followed by a second melody of great beauty and simplicity. In the tradition of Schubert, Beethoven, Brahms and Mahler, Korngold drew from his own song cycle, Lieder des Abschieds (Songs of Farewell), which he completed the year before, for his second movement, Adagio. The third song, Mond so gehst du wieder auf (Moon, you rise again), is the main source of inspiration. One also hears the strong influence of Mahler. The Finale opens with a strident, declamatory theme, but is followed lively Rondo. He uses variations as his development.
Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957) was born in the Moravian city of Brunn then part of the Austrian Habsburg Empire (today Brno in the Czech Republic). He grew up in Vienna where his father was a music critic for one of Vienna’s leading papers. Recognizing his son’s extraordinary talent, Korngold’s father took him to see Mahler when the boy was nine. Mahler declared him a genius and other noteworthy musicians such as Humperdinck and Richard Strauss held that he was the greatest child prodigy since Mozart. Mahler saw to it that Korngold studied with Vienna’s best teachers—–Robert Fuchs, Hermann Grädener and Alexander Zemlinsky. Korngold became one of Europe’s leading operatic and instrumental composers and conductors and subsequently served as a professor of composition at the Vienna Conservatory. In the 1930’s he was invited to Hollywood and thereafter became one of the leading film composers of his time. After 1946, he left the film industry to concentrate on composing absolute music.
There is no question but that this Piano Quintet must be placed in the front rank of such works from the first part of the 20th century. It belongs in the concert hall where it will make an indelible impression. Although this is not a work for the average amateur, it is not beyond the reach of experienced amateur players of very good technical ability.
Parts: $39.95
