Quartet in C Minor, Op. 1, No.

2 Movements III and IV

Joseph Eybler
Tanner Pfeiffer

Oct 30, 2013

Naxos Music Library - Catalog Number AN29914 (Tracks 3 and 4)

http://0-unl.naxosmusiclibrary.com.library.unl.edu/catalogue/item.asp?cid=AN29914

Program Notes
Quartet in C Minor is the second of a series of three string quartets crafted by the Viennese composer Joseph Leopold Edler von Eybler in 1794. Eybler s work is often overshadowed by that of his friends and contemporaries, W. A. Mozart and Joseph Haydn (who was also a distant relative). The genre of the string quartet was birthed, essentially fully formed, in the classical era. The quartets of Eybler follow a rather straightforward form typical of the era, usually fast-slow-rondo-fast, as is the case with this quartet. The third and fourth movements of the Quartet in C Minor display an interesting interplay between the explicitly jocular and the dreadfully serious. Balance is the name of the game in the latter half of the quartet. The treble and bass instruments are pitted against one another in some places, and the outer and inner voices experience the same competition in others. There are tossings about of the melody and imitative passages, as if a search for the proper balance of pitch and instrumentation is being undergone. Often, the balance will seem to be imminent until a solitary violin plays a silly figure, like a child trying to upset a group of adults followed by the decay of the entire group into agitation until the works violent conclusion.

Historical Context
Joseph Eybler (1765-1846) was a composer of the classical era, befriended both by Mozart and Haydn. He is perhaps best remembered for being asked by Mozarts widow to complete the Requiem Mozart had been working on up to his death. Eybler found himself unable to complete the task, however, and delegated it to Sssmayer. Eybler wrote this quartet while holding the position choir director of the Schottenkloster, a post he held from 1792 to 1822. Eybler s most famous works, including his Requiem in C Minor and his only opera were composed during this period. Shortly afterward, he succeeded Antonio Salieri as Hofkappelmeister of the emperor s court in Vienna. Toward the end of his life, Eybler suffered a stroked while conducting Mozarts Requiem, after which he never published any music but received a plethora of awards for his previous work.

Listening Guide: Mvt. III

Time Comment
Section A of the menuetto opens in a two part 0:00 octavated split with a leap in the upper two parts followed by a leap and scale in the lower.

0:10 Section A, as every section, ends with a PAC.

0:11

Section A repeats

Listening Guide: Mvt. III

Time Comment

Section B begins with a subito change to piano 0:21 and a four part antiphonal structure. The two part octavation comes back, this time 0:29 texturally inverted and with the ensemble range transposed up one octave. 0:39 Section B repeats

Listening Guide: Mvt. III

Time Comment
Section A of the trio begins with melody in the 1:00 first violin and homophonic accompaniment in the second violin and viola

1:09 Section A repeats Section B starts with antiphony between first 1:19 violin and cello with homophonic accompaniment in the second and viola.

Listening Guide: Mvt. III

Time Comment

1:29 Section A is literally imitated within Section B.

1:39 Section B repeats

1:59 The entire menuetto is repeated.

Listening Guide: Mvt. IV

Time Comment

The violin introduces Rhythmic Figure A, 0:00 accompanied by the others.

0:09 The cello takes its turn at Rhythmic Figure A. The cello begins phrases and the viola 0:17 completes them, a central idea to this movement.

Listening Guide: Mvt. IV

Time Comment
Rhythmic Figure B appears for the first time, 0:27 contrasting greatly with the opening of the movement. Antiphony between the violin and cello with 0:39 Rhythmic Figure A begins, accompanied by the second and viola.

Rhythmic Figure B comes back in an immitative 0:55 passage, followed by a soft passage with a very disjunct melody in the first.

Listening Guide: Mvt. IV

Time
1:19 Section A repeats
Section B begins with a highly unusual rhythm, reminiscent of more modern music, with homorhythmic block chords in the three high parts

Comment

2:38

2:46

Antiphony between first and cello as well as phrase sharing in the viola and cello appear for the first time in Section B.

Listening Guide: Mvt. IV

Time Comment

Rhythmic Figure B returns, beginning an 3:24 exciting new section. The antiphonal treatment of Rhythmic Figure A 3:40 returns. 4:19 Section B repeats

Bibliography
Eva Badura-Skoda and Hildegard Herrmann-Schneider. "Eybler, Joseph Leopold, Edler von." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. http://0www.oxfordmusiconline.com.library.unl.edu/subscriber/article/gro ve/music/40047?q=joseph+eybler&search=quick&pos=1&_start=1