Presents
Peter Heise
String Quartet No.2 in G Major-World Premiere Edition
Peter Heise (1830-1879) was born in Copenhagen where he studied locally before attending the Leipzig Conservatory. Heise was of the generation for whom Mendelssohn and Schumann were the guiding lights. He was also influenced by his fellow countryman, Niels Gade. He did not find Wagner and the tonal ideas of the New German School to his taste. Upon his return to Copenhagen, he made a name for himself as a song writer although he composed in most genres. His opera Drot og Marsk (King & Marshall) was widely regarded the finest Danish opera of the 19th century. Although his instrumental works are almost uniformly excellent, because of the tremendous popularity of his songs, they were overlooked. Among his chamber music works are 6 string quartets, a piano trio, this piano quintet, and a number of instrumental sonatas. Heise's father was a civil servant in the government and Heise had grown up among the the upper middle classes of Copenhagen where playing string quartets had come to be an integral and essential part of cultural life. The Danish music historian Angul Hammerich, writing about musical life in Denmark around the middle of the 19th century, states the string quartet played the same role as the piano later did. That is to say there was hardly any genuine musical middle class home that did not have its regular weekly quartet evening where the works of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Mendelssohn would receive regular outings. Hence, from the time of his childhood, he became quite familiar with the genre and while growing up, took part in many quartet sessions at the home of his friends Julius and Edward Holm. When he composed his first two string quartets during the winter of 1851–52, he had already been playing quartets for several years.
The quartet opens with a fast paced Allegro vivace. The music recalls the Op.18 quartets of Beethoven and it is probably no stretch of the imagination to believe that among the quartets Heise had been playing with his friends were those of Beethoven's first efforts. The second movement is a sad Largo in c minor. It is interrupted by a much more upbeat section in C Major before returning to the key in whichit began. A is, though not marked religioso, at first does have a religious quality to it, but soon the mood more closely resembles an operatic interlude. A nervous Menuetto allegro which follows returns to the key of G Major with a trio section in the minor. The finale, a cross between a Haydnesque and Schubertian Allegro molto, begins more in the manner of an allegretto. However, the tempo very quickly picks as excitement mounts.
We are proud to present what is the third world premiere of a chamber music work by this important and unfairly neglected composer. The manuscripts to his six string quartets were bequeathed to the Royal Danish Library by his wife upon her death in 1912. Our edition was carefully edited by H.S. Stewart who consulted the original manuscript. Professionals and amateurs who take the time to make this works acquaintance will be well rewarded.
Parts: $29.95
Parts & Score $39.95
