Presents
Ferdinand Ries
Quartet No.1 in C Major for Flute, Violin, Viola & Cello
Ferdinand Ries (1784-1838) during his lifetime and for much of the 19 century was remembered as a fine composer and virtuoso pianist. He showed musical promise from an early age, studying both violin and piano with his father, and the cello with Bernhard Romberg. In 1801, he went to Vienna to study piano and composition with Beethoven and stayed with him for nearly 5 years. Thereafter, Ries concertized throughout Europe for a number of years before settling in London and then finally retiring in Frankfurt. He wrote a considerable amount of music including several piano concertos and a large quantity of chamber music which was many years often performed and well thought of. Ries composed string quartets throughout his entire life, at least 26. He wrote many more string quartets than he did piano sonatas, piano trios, piano quartets or other works with piano, surprising for a virtuoso pianist and one is forced to conclude that he felt the string quartet to be a far more important medium than those with piano or at the very least he harbored real ambition to make an important contribution to the genre as had his teacher Beethoven. And like Beethoven, he took his time, trying other chamber music genres before turning to the string quartet.
Ries composed six quartets for flute, violin, viola and cello. The first three were completed in 1814-5 while Ries was living in London and it is thought that he may have written them with an eye to the English music making market. However, the quartets were not published twelve years later as his Opus 145 in 1826. The Quartet in C Major is the first of the set. In the bright opening Allegro con brio, although the flute is treated to some virtuosic passages, the strings are quite well treated and it is clear that the quartet is not a mere vehicle for the flautist. The movement is filled with stately, lovely melodies. The second movement, Larghetto cantabile, begins with a somber introduction by the strings before the flute brings forth a beautiful singing melody. Again, the strings play more than a supporting role. Next comes a bouncing Scherzo, allegro vivace. The satsifying finale, Allegro all' espagnola, takes its name based on the pulsing rhythm heard in the strings. One must wait quite some while before theme similar to those heard in the opera Carmen come forth.
Certainly, this is one of the very best works of its kind from this period and can be warmly recommended to both amateurs and pros.
Parts: $24.95
