Presents
Peter Hänsel
String Quartet in A Major, Op.9 No.2-New Edition
Peter Hänsel (sometimes spelled Haensel, 1770-1831) was born in the town Leppe in what was then Prussian Silesia. He was trained as a violinist and worked in Warsaw and St. Petersburg before obtaining employment in Vienna where he studied composition with Haydn during the 1790’s. Other than two years he spent in Paris during 1802-1803, his entire life was spent in Vienna, working as a violinist and composer. He devoted himself almost exclusively to the genre of chamber music, writing nearly 60 string quartets, 6 string trios, 5 string quintets and works for several other small ensembles. His style remained firmly rooted in the classical era and is closely related to that of his teacher Haydn but he also introduced French and Polish elements into his works, the result of his sojourning in those lands.
Op.9 No.2 is the second of a set of three string quartets published in the German city of Offenbach am Main by the famous firm of Jean Andre in 1802. Despite the publication date, it is an early work composed either while he was still studying with Haydn or shortly thereafter. It was dedicated to Count Xavier Starzenski (1764-1828) whom he met while working in Warsaw. In four movements, the quartet begins with Haydnesque Allegro moderato in which a genial main theme is juxtaposed against more lively episodes. A very romantic beautiful Adagio comes next in which the first violin gives out a doleful, serenade-like long-lined theme. A surprising middle sections, much quicker bursts forth without warning in which all of the voices are given several running passages. The Menuetto which is in third place is an arch-typical Viennese minuet of the sort Haydn could well have written. If you did not know otherwise, your would surely think that the exciting finale, Allegro vivace, was composed by Haydn, who almost certainly would have been very pleased with his student's effort.
Our new edition, which was edited by senior editor Raymond Silvertrust, is based on the 1802 Andre edition. This is an appealing first work from the late classical era which can be recommended to both amateurs and professionals. It would make an excellent replacement on a concert program for a Haydn
Parts: $24.95
Parts & Score: $33.95
