Presents
Amanda Maier
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SOUNDBITES |
Piano Quartet in e minor
Amanda Maier (1853-1894) was born in the Swedish town of Landskrona. Her early musical studies on violin and piano were with her father. Subsequently, she studied at the Stockholm Conservatory, winning awards not only for her violin playing but also for her ability on the organ and cello as well as for her compositional ability. After graduating, she continued her studies at the Leipzig Conservatory where she studied composition with Carl Reinecke and violin with Engelbert Röntgen, concertmaster of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. While in Leipzig, she composed several works, among them a piano trio and string quartet.. After leaving Leipzig, she spent the next few years touring as a concert violinist before marrying the composer Julius Röntgen, the son of her teacher. Amanda was a fairly prolific composer up until her marriage by which time she a two piano quartets, a piano trio, two string quartets and several other instrumental works to her credit. Most of these works are still in manuscript and several, unfortunately, have been lost. After her marriage she more or less gave up her career. Brahms and Grieg were among those who heard and praised her music highly. Only a few of her compositions were ever published during her lifetime. This Piano Quartet was not among them.
The score to her Piano Quartet languished in manuscript form for more that 100 years. It is now located in the Stockholm Theater and Music library from which we obtained a copy. It was completed in 1891 a few years before her death. The opening movement, Allegro, begins with a powerful unison passage after which the cello then develops it along with with a syncopated accompaniment in the piano. The mood is quite intense although the tension is occasionally relaxed by tender and lyrical moments.. The second movement, Andante, begins in a calm and gentle fashion, only to be interrupted by an intense, almost stormy, middle section. The Presto con fuoco which comes next, as a kind of scherzo, again has very contrasting and powerful middle section to it, as a kind of trio. The finale starts with a slow Largo espressivo introduction followed by a somewhat Brahmsian Allegro vivace.
Our edition was made by senior editors Garik Hayrapetyan and Raymond Silvertrust from Maier's manuscript. This Piano Quartet gives yet another example of Maier's superb compositional talent. Well written from start to finish, it is a pity that it was not published during her lifetime. It deserves concert performance and can also be warmly recommended to amateurs.
Parts: $34.95
