Presents
Ludvig Norman
String Quartet in E Major No.2, Op.20
Ludvig Norman's String Quartet in E Major, Op.20 dates from 1855 although it was not published until 1880. It is counted as his second quartet. His first quartet, composed the year before is lost. Norman was trained at the Leipzig Conservatory only a few years after it was founded by Mendelssohn. When Norman graduated, Mendelssohn had just died and Schumann was still alive. Hence, it is no wonder that this quartet shows the influence of both Schumann and Mendelssohn, the models which were held up to all the students there at the time as worthy of studying. The opening movement, Allegro grazioso, is genial and though it has considerable forward energy also exhibits a certain grace and elegance. The second movement, Scherzo, allegro moderato, with its highly unusual rhythms recalls Schumann's Op.41 quartets. In third place is a Mendelssohnian Andante cantabile, which bears some resemblance to a song without words. The finale, Allegro vivace, brings forth the excitment that was absent in the relatively gentle and genial earlier movements.
Ludvig Norman (1831-1885) was born in Stockholm. He studied at the Leipzig Conservatory shortly after it was founded by Mendelssohn. His composition teachers were Julius Rietz and Moritz Hauptmanna, his piano professor was Ignaz Moscheles. A prolific composer, he also enjoyed a career as a pianist, conductor and teacher. Among his many pupils was the prominent composer Elfrida Andrée. Norman composed in a wide variety of genres, and chamber music was an important part of his oeuvre, among which there are two piano trios, a piano quartet, a piano sextet, five string quartets, a string quintet, a string sextet and a string octet
Long out of print and unavailable, we are pleased to present it once again. While it can be recommended to amateurs, it is also suitable for concert performance.
Parts: $24.95
