Presents
Johannes Verhulst
String Quartet No.1 in d minor, Op.6 No.1
Johannes Josephus Hermanus Verhulst (1816-1891) was born in The Hague in the Netherlands. As a boy, Verhulst sang in a Catholic choir; here he distinguished himself by his gift for music and he obtained a scholarship to study at the Royal Dutch Conservatory in the Hague with Charles Hanssons, a prominent conductor of opera. On a visit to the Netherlands in 1836, Felix Mendelssohn was shown some of Verhulst’s compositions and as a result agreed to take him on as a student. Verhulst received a grant from the Dutch king which allowed him to study with Mendelssoh in Leipzig between 1838-1840. He returned to the Hague in 1842 when offered the position of Court Music Director by the Dutch king. He played an important role in Dutch musical life as a conductor of many of its most important music ensembles and organizations.
String Quartet No.1 in d minor, Op.6 No.1 was the first of two which were composed in 1839 while Verhulst was studying with Mendelssohn. Both this quartet and the second were dedicated to Mendelssohn who wrote Verhulst, “...these quartets please me very much...and that is why your dedication of them to me is a pleasure.” The opening movement, Allegro non troppo, begins with a fetching Schubertesque theme which after a while gives way to a series of exciting Mendelssohnian passages. The second movement is a singing Adagio. Next comes a nervous Scherzo full of forward motion. The hand of his teacher is everywhere apparent. The finale, Presto con fuoco, bursts out of the gate in an explosion of breath-taking energy.
This is a very fine work and Verhulst as well as Mendelssohn had every reason to be proud. In a nutshell, this is almost like having another Mendelssohn string quartet. But be assured, this is no mere imitation, but is full of very original ideas. An excellent choice for concert which can also be recommended to home music makers.
Parts: $24.95
