Presented by Leo Samama.
The preference of Giovanni Battista Viotti (1755-1824) as a composer of chamber music went mostly to the genre of the Quatuor concertant, with predominant elegant and lilting melodies. For him, string quartets are particularly meant as pleasant recreation for the higher classes. The Quartet in G major comes from a series of three, which were composed in 1815 and published two years later. Luigi Cherubini (1760-1842) was only five years younger than Viotti, but his String quartet in D minor was written almost twenty years later, in 1834. Just as Viotti, he ended up in Paris before the French Revolution. Cherubini wrote six quartets, which were only published in 1836 and 1869. His melodies have a typical French-Italian lilting, as can also be expected from a leading composer of vocal music.
Giovanni Battista Viotti – String quartet in G major (G.114)
1. Larghetto – Allegro commodo, 2. Minuetto commodo, 3. Andantino, 4. Allegretto vivace
Performers: Quartetto Aira
CD: Dynamic
Luigi Cherubini – String quartet in D minor
1. Allegro comodo, 2. Larghetto sostenuto, 3. Scherzo. Allegro, 4. Finale. Allegro risoluto
Performers: Hausmusik London
CD: CPO
Juan Crisostomo de Arriaga – String quartet no.1, in D minor
Menuetto. Allegro (3:16)
Performers: Quatuor Sine Nomine
CD: Claves
