# Cherubini's String Quartets



## Novelette

If you are familiar with these works, which quartet do you like the most? Why?

Also, which recordings do you like the most?


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## Novelette

#2 is an interesting quartet, being the D Major Symphony rewritten for quartet. There are a few major differences between the symphony and the later quartet version, though. The second movement was completely new, and the second-violin was substantially altered to improve the harmonic and melodic flow--it was surely difficult compressing the voices of a concert orchestra into four voices, but Cherubini did an excellent job.

Compare, especially, the first movements:


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## jurianbai

Yes it is a good cycle of six quartets. I even want to say the best from Italian region, along with the Bazzini's. No.3 in Dm is the sweet melody in the opening and my memorable moments.

The other minor key opening is no.6 in Am. Nice to listen paired with Tuscany sweet wine.


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## Novelette

Cherubini was a remarkably ingenious composer. In his treatise on counterpoint, he successfully solved the canonic riddles left by Padre Martini. I've had a look at those canons and all I can say about Cherubini's answers is: WOW!

We could confidently declare Cherubini among the greatest harmonists and contrapuntists of the 19th century, I don't think this is at all an exaggeration. His chamber music, his operas, his sacred music--all are first-rate works. Beethoven's praise was more than justified, as was the admiration of later composers such as Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, Saint-Saens, and even that composer who neither liked nor was liked by Cherubini, Hector Berlioz.

In addition, I understand that Mendelssohn was the only composer whom Cherubini openly praised--despite his friendships with Rossini and Chopin. _That_ is especially high praise.


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## ProudSquire

To be honest, I was only familiar with Cherubini's string quintet and his string quartets 1-3, which I like quite a bit, but over the weekend I went ahead and listened to all of them. The quartets struck me as genuinely original and full of drama. The ones that enjoyed very much were number 3 in D minor and number 6 in A minor.

Cherubini's mastery of polyphony is quite evident throughout the quartets, which was surprisingly refreshing. His use of counterpoint is masterful to say the least, but I particularly enjoyed the that fact that his counterpoint wasn't as dense or as ambiguous as I thought it would be. I also appreciated his use of thematic material, which at times was incredibly playful, like in his 4th quartet. 

I think the quartets as a whole are well crafted and represent something new and refreshing, at least to me. I'm more likely to revisit them again, then not. :tiphat:


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## Novelette

The quintet is elusive. I have only seen one recording of it in existence, although there may be more. Which do you have?

I've read over the score a few times, and I know that it's a masterpiece. I would love to hear it.


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## ProudSquire

Sadly I do not own any recordings of the quintet, but the one I heard, I actually hired from my college. I'm not sure if it's the same recording that's being offered on amazon at the moment, but I remember that it was quite remarkable.

You are right though, it's rather strange that recordings of the quintet are so scarce. Perhaps I'll order a copy before these are out of stock.

Amazon link, in case you would like one yourself.


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## Novelette

I just obtained the Diogenes Quartet recording for the Quintet.

It's a very nice work, although it doesn't contend with the six quartets.


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## Quartetfore

I had some of his quartets years ago, and did not care for them. However I think that I will take another look.


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## Andreas

I have the complete set by the Melos Quartett, and I must say I treasure it greatly. Especially quartets nos. 3 to 6. Compared to Beethoven's late quartets they may sound harmless and lacking in spiritual depth. But I find them charming and full of ésprit.


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## Novelette

French "school" string quartet writing in the first 30 years of the 19th century was more or less insulated, rather emphasizing sparkling brilliance than we would find in the Austrian and German string quartet writing in that era, with a few notable exceptions.

Beethoven's works were very slow to be embraced by the French Conservatory, of which Cherubini was eventually the director. Cherubini was surely more heavily influenced by Boccherini's style than by Beethoven's, and so we would expect these string quartets to be of a more virtuosic style, without the kind of profound depth that we adore so much in Beethoven's string quartets. Cherubini's instrumental voice was a highly unique and individual one, not so easily related to any particular composer.

They can take some time to become attached to, but there are brilliantly composed; a joy to listen to!


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## KenOC

Novelette said:


> French "school" string quartet writing in the first 30 years of the 19th century was more or less insulated, rather emphasizing sparkling brilliance than we would find in the Austrian and German string quartet writing in that era, with a few notable exceptions.
> 
> Beethoven's works were very slow to be embraced by the French Conservatory, of which Cherubini was eventually the director. Cherubini was surely more heavily influenced by Boccherini's style than by Beethoven's, and so we would expect these string quartets to be of a more virtuosic style, without the kind of profound depth that we adore so much in Beethoven's string quartets. Cherubini's instrumental voice was a highly unique and individual one, not so easily related to any particular composer.
> 
> They can take some time to become attached to, but there are brilliantly composed; a joy to listen to!


Agree! A good example is the Basque composer Arriaga, who studied under Fetis at the Paris Conservatoire and seems to have had instruction duties as well. His three quartets, written at age 16 (!), are indeed "brilliantly composed and a joy to listen to."

Although they were written around 1823, they know no Beethoven after the Op. 18 of 1800-1801, which obviously inspired them. Arriaga died at age 19.


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## Novelette

KenOC said:


> Agree! A good example is the Basque composer Arriaga, who studied under Fetis at the Paris Conservatoire and seems to have had instruction duties as well. His three quartets, written at age 16 (!), are indeed "brilliantly composed and a joy to listen to."
> 
> Although they were written around 1823, they know no Beethoven after the Op. 18 of 1800-1801, which obviously inspired them. Arriaga died at age 19.


Fascinating, KenOC! Thank you for introducing me to Arriaga; I hadn't previously heard of him. I will be exploring his music tomorrow.


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## KenOC

Novelette said:


> Fascinating, KenOC! Thank you for introducing me to Arriaga; I hadn't previously heard of him. I will be exploring his music tomorrow.


NML and Spotify have them all. #3 is a good starting place. Enjoy!


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## Novelette

On Cherubini's Quartets: "Certainly many will experience what I experience; you first have to befriend that particular spirit in this, uniquely his, quartet style; it is not the familiar native tongue that approaches us, it is a distinguished stranger addressing us: the more we learn to understand him, the more we come to respect him."

Robert Schumann, from the "New Journal of Music", 1838


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## Novelette

Other notes on Cherubini by Schumann:

"I consider him [Cherubini] superior as a harmonist to all of his contemporaries", Schumann goes on to call him the, "refined, scholarly, interesting Italian whose severe reserve of strength and character sometimes leads me to compare him with Dante."

Brahms admired Cherubini enormously, referring to the latter's "Medea" as "the work we musicians recognize among ourselves as the highest peak of dramatic music." In fact, Brahms so revered Cherubini that in his music room there were only two composers' images displayed, a bust of Beethoven on the piano, and a portrait of Cherubini [a copy in fact, of the painting by Ingres that serves as my avatar here] on the wall.

Wagner greatly praised and admired Cherubini's "Les Deux Journées", commenting that it is a necessary component of any opera house's repertoire.

Mendelssohn praised "his sparkling fire, his clever and unexpected transitions, and the neatness and grace with which he writes." High praise indeed! In fact, Cherubini, upon meeting a young Mendelssohn, openly praised the latter's compositions and his piano technique--a remarkable praise from one of such severe austerity as Cherubini!

Bruckner learned how to write his own religious music by carefully copying the scores of many of Cherubini's masses.

...

It is interesting, Bach's major resurgence [thank goodness for it!] largely came about because of the efforts and praise of Mendelssohn. Beethoven's violin concerto likewise re-entered the repertoire by Mendelssohn's efforts. Brahms' first notice largely came about [or at the very least, was heavily bolstered] because of Schumann's open praise. Weber was largely revived thanks to the esteem of Wagner, etc. Many great works and great composers re-entered the domain of public consciousness because of the praises of other composers.

But why has not a man who has been praised as a monumental genius by none other than: Haydn, Beethoven, Rossini, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, Bruckner, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, [even, grudgingly by Berlioz!] etc., etc. earned his own deserved esteem?

His operas are precious works, although _Ali Baba_ is a bit convoluted. _Les Abencerages_ is stunning. The string quartets, and quintet, are masterful. And he remains one of the greatest composers of church music in the whole of the 19th century: the D Minor Solemn Mass is currently my favorite! The symphony is charmingly Haydn-esque. The horn sonatas are delightful. Only the six piano sonatas are unremarkable, in my opinion.

Further, I have been disturbed by certain wikipedia articles [not the bastion of unimpeachable truth, I realize] detailing a great deal of animosity toward Beethoven from Cherubini. In fact, according to the several biographies that I'm concurrently reading, the two men were actually very warm and friendly toward each other [let it be known that Cherubini was inclined to criticize the mannerisms and appearance of every person, friend or foe], and that Cherubini strongly admired Beethoven's music. The anecdote about the vocal textbook was not so disdainful as it has been reported, and in fact, Cherubini often worried that in the occasional concert during which his works were being performed along with Beethoven's, that the singular brilliance of Beethoven's music would overpower his own works. Cherubini was especially concerned, during one performance, when his concert overture and symphony were wedged between Beethoven works.

...

Definitely still in the middle of my Cherubini obsession.


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