Presents
Franz Schmidt
Piano Quintet in G Major, Op.81
Franz Schmidt (1874-1939) was born in the Austrian city of Pressburg (now Bratislava) and began his musical training there. Subsequently, in Vienna, he studied cello with Franz Hellmesberger and piano with Theodor Leschetizky. At the Vienna Conservatory, his composition teachers were Robert Fuchs and Anton Bruckner. Schmidt served as a cellist in the Vienna Court Opera Orchestra (1896-1911) and played under Mahler. From the First World War until his retirement, he held many important teaching posts, eventurally serving as the director of theVienna Staatsakademie as well as Hochschule für Musik. Schmidt's roots are to be found in the Viennese Romanticism of his master Bruckner. Although not a prolific composer, he is nonetheless considered the last of the great romantic symphonists. His four chamber music works—2 string quartets, a piano quintet and a quintet for piano, clarinet and string trio--are among his most important.
Schmidt wrote the Piano Quintet in G Major in 1926. It was commissioned by the pianist Paul Wittgenstein and was to be for the left hand alone as Wittgenstein has lost his right arm in the First World War. For many years, Wittgenstein was the only pianist who promoted and performed the work as other pianists did not wish to play a work for only one hand. However, eventually a number of pianists and some composers tried their hand at arranging the work for two hands. Among these was the Italian pianist, composer and conductor Giulio Viozzi. We have reprinted his edition.
The work is in four movements. The first movement, Lebhaft, doch nicht schnell, has a rather modern, upbeat almost American sound. One could imagine Gershwin writing something like this. The second movement, Adagio, is very different in mood and style. The strings are given the gentle and calm theme for some time before the piano is allowed to join in. The music might almost be called an Austrian lullaby, though it is interrupted by stormy interludes in the middle section. The third movement is marked Sehr ruhig--lebhaft. The main theme recall's that of the second movement of Felix Weingartner's Piano Sextet of 1904. This most likely is no coincidence as Schmidt almost certainly would have known this work and might well have performed it. Schmidt had played in the Vienna Philharmonic during Weingartner's tenure as its conductor. It begins quietyly with a leisurely tempo, but very gradually, almost inperceptibly speeds up. The finale, Sehr lebhaft is a upbeat, rondo-like dance.
Parts: $39.95
