Presents
Mathilde Kralik
Nonet in c minor---World Premier Edition
For 2 Violins, Viola, Cello, Clarinet, 2 Horns, Bassoon & Piano
Mathilde Kralik (1857-1944) was born in the Austrian city of Linz. Her father Wilhelm Kralik von Meyrswalden was a wealthy industrialist who was an amateur violinist, her mother played the piano. Recognizing Mithilde’s musical gifts, she was allowed to study with the best music teachers available, including Anton Bruckner, Franz Krenn and Julius Epstein. She studied at the Conservatory of the Society of Friends of Music (Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde) in Vienna between 1876 to 1878 and won several prizes for her compositions. After graduating, she pursued a career as a composer. By the start of the 1890s, her works became popular and were frequently performed in concert. But, like the works of many composers from the Romantic era, after the First World War, her works were no longer in vogue or performed. She composed in most genres, including chamber music, which included a piano trio, a nonet for piano, winds and strings as well as several instrumental works with piano.
Her Nonet in c minor was never published until now. It was probably composed sometime during the first decade of the 20th century. Some sources attribute its date of composition to 1901. There is a record of a public performance in Vienna around 1912, using copies of parts from the manuscript, which can be found in the Austrian National Library. It is quite possibly the only work for this combination of instruments. Having made an extensive search, though by no means an exhaustive search, we were only able to find one other nonet which included the piano, that by Samuel Coleridge Taylor. (which we also make available) Coleridge Taylor's is only for one violin and one horn and instead includes an oboe and a bass, neither of which are included in Kralik's nonet. Because this work is truly one of a kind, it seems likely that Kralik had a specific group in mind who may well have asked for a piece with such a combination of instruments.
Be that as may, this is an extraordinary and outstanding work by any measure. Written on a big scale, it is in four substantial movements. When all of the instruments are engaged at one time, the sound truly approaches the orchestral. However, because Kralik often only employs small groups of the Nonet, the orchestral alternates with the intimate quality of true chamber music. The effect is quite striking. In the opening movement, Allegro energico, there is a sense of great spaciousness. It opens powerfully in the fashion of a piano concerto with all four strings and the piano giving forth the first theme. However, this is almost immediately dissipated when only the winds and piano take over while the strings remain silent. For lengthy periods, there are episodes where each instrument, including the piano, is given long rests. Kralik is not tempted to treat the piano as primus inter pares (first among equals), and takes part in the same way that all of the others do, it is not allowed it to dominate nor is it given florid solo passages. The second movement, Intermezzo, marked kräftig munter (vigorous or robust and cheerful) describes how the music sounds perfectly. It begins rather like a triumphant march and certainly does not sound anything like a Mendelssohnian or Brahmsian intermezzo. However, later the music calms down and there is an intermezzo feel to it. These two moods alternate throughout the movement. But at one point they are suddenly interrupted by a calm and quiet section, providing great contrast. Next comes a Sarabande, marked Langsam-Mit Weihe (slow, religiously). Here, the music sounds like a solemn tribute rather like a memorial. It is quiet and subdued. However much later an orchestral sounding march theme, still in keeping with the mood of a tribute, appears. No exact tempo marking is given to the Finale, however, Kralik instructs Einleitung in langsamem Marschtempo (Introduction in slow march tempo.) The opening has an orchestral feel though it is not too loud. Gradually, the music accelerates and the temperature rises, only to quickly dissipate when smaller groups take over. For much of the time, there are conversations between diverse smaller groups. Here and there the openingt march like main theme appears and disappears, while continually being given different treatments.
We wish to thank Oliver Triendl for providing us with the parts which he edited from the original manuscript. It goes without saying that this fine work which deserves concert performance. It is technically within the abilities of average amateur enthusiasts to whom we also can recommend it.
Parts: $94.95
