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July 2024--September 2024

The Piano Quartets of Friedrich Gernsheim

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Friedrich Gernsheim (1839-1916) is a composer whose music was held in the highest regard by critics during his lifetime. No less an authority than Wilhelm Altmann, perhaps the most influential chamber music critic of all time, has written that Gernsheim�s chamber music is poetic and of a high intellectual content. But Gernsheim had two misfortunes, which led to his music not obtaining the reputation it might have. The first was to be born within a decade of Brahms. A misfortune because, in what is surely an extraordinary phenomenon, virtually every composer in the German-speaking countries born within a decade either side of Brahms were so eclipsed by him that their reputation and music all but disappeared when that era was over. Names such as Rheinberger, Reinecke, Kiel, Bruch, Dessoff, and Herzogenberg, among many others, come to mind. The second misfortune was that being Jewish, his music was officially banned during the Nazi era, which insured that it would fall into oblivion. It is only now, close to a century after his death that it is being rediscovered with great delight. Gernsheim, somewhat of a piano and violin virtuoso as a child, was eventually educated at the famous Leipzig Conservatory where he studied piano with Ignaz Moscheles and violin with Ferdinand David. After graduating, he continued his studies in Paris, getting to know Saint Sa�ns, Lalo, Liszt and Rossini. Despite his admiration for France and the French, he returned to Germany and during the course of his life, he held academic and conducting positions in Cologne, Rotterdam and finally Berlin. He used his position as a conductor to advance the cause of Brahms� music. The two, while not close friends, carried on a correspondence for many years during which it was clear that Brahms had considerable respect and admiration for Gernsheim�s work. An accolade which was, in Brahms� case, no mere flattery as Brahms only very rarely praised the works of other composers.

Gernsheim's Piano Quartet No.1 E flat Major, Op.6 dates from 1860. It was begun while he was in Paris and it so impressed Ferdinand Hiller, director of the Cologne Conservatory, that he offered Gernsheim a position as a composition teacher there. Stylistically, an early work, it shows the Mendelssohnian influence of his Leipzig training but also of the melodic influence of Rossini. The first movement, Allegro ma non troppo, begins with a optimistic theme full of forward drive. The second theme has chorale-like quality. The extraordinarily fine second movement, Allegro vivace assai, though it starts quietly, quickly becomes is a whirlwind scherzo. This is followed by an Andante con moto, with its sweet and lovely main theme. It is in the first theme of the finale, Allegro con brio, that one hears the influence of Mendelssohn with its rhythmically driving first theme. This is followed up by a lovely second subject.

Gernsheim's Piano Quartet No.2 in c minor, Op.20 dates from 1870. Ten years separate it from his first piano quartet which showed the influence of Mendelssohn and to a lesser extent Schumann, the result of his training at the Leipzig Conservatory. By the time he came to write his second piano quartet, he had moved away from this. The big first movement, Allegro molto moderato, between its several dramatic episodes, conveys a sense of profundity. The second movement, is a lovely Adagio, peaceful and calm. The finale, a lively Rondo, opens a bit like a Hungarian folk dance and has a more lyrical and pastoral middle which provides a nice contrast.

Gernsheim's Piano Quartet No.3 in F Major, Op.47 was composed in 1883, during his long tenure as director of the Rotterdam Conservatory. It is perhaps not a coincidence that it bears the same opus number as Schumann's only piano quartet. And, it comes at a time when Gernsheim was greatly influenced by his friend Brahms. This work along with a few others earned Gernsheim the sobriquet of the 'Dutch Brahms'. Although Piano Quartet No.3 does show the influence of Brahms it is in no way imitative. More than elsewhere, the big first movement, Allegro tranquillo, with its rhythmic phrases and dark tone color brings Brahms to mind. But where Brahms generally has the strings play as a group against the piano, Gernsheim uses this technique only rarely. The movement begins quietly, the strings slip in gradually and only then does the tempo increase. The music, which is overflowing with wonderful melody after another is mostly genial and the combination of the instruments is superb. The second movement, Allegro energico e appassionato, a blustering and exciting scherzo, is for its time quite modern sounding. From the opening notes, its begins in dramatic and exciting fashion. However, Gernheim plays with the listener, constantly interrupting the music just when one expects a theme to receive a more lengthy treatment. This creates a very impressive effect. The slow movement, Andante cantabile, brings relief with its long-lined soothing melody, it could almost be called a song without words. The finale, Tema con varizione, has for its main theme a simple, child-like tune which is first given out by the piano. In the several variations which follows, Gernsheim demonstrates his mastery of form and instrumental technique and finishes it off with an exciting conclusion.

You can hear soundbites from each movement on our website by clicking on the boldface links above. The parts are available from Edition Silvertrust.

String Qts Dedicated to Haydn-Part 1---March 2012

String Qts Dedicated to Haydn-Part 2---April 2012

3 New Beethoven Quartets?---May 2012

Hermann Berens String Trios---June 2012

2nd Movt Bruckner Str Qnt too hard---July 2012

Arriaga The Spanish Mozart---August 2012

Johan Wikmanson's String Quartets---Sept 2012

Dubois' Piano Trios---October 2012

Trios for Clarinet, Cello & Piano---Nov / Dec 2012

Bargiel Piano Trios---January / February 2013

John Antes String Trios---March / April 2013