Johann Nepomuk Hummel / Jan Ladislav Dussek / George Onslow - Piano Quintets

"In 1788 the ten-year old Hummel and his father embarked on an extensive concert tour of Europe. The little Johann Nepomuk had already received two years of music lessons from Mozart and had just made his debut as a concert pianist. Three years earlier the family had moved from Presburg (Bratislava, now the capital of Slovakia) to Vienna when the father accepted the position of conductor at the Theater auf der Wieden. At just seven years of age Johann had gone to live with Mozart and had made rapid progress, becoming very competent on the violin and piano. Master Mozart was frequently absent because of his tours to Prague and he eventually advised his pupil's father to take the boy on tour himself. While on tour Johann performed the works of his teacher. Via Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Scotland, the father and son arrived in London in 1792. Hummel's first performance there took place on the 5th of May and the 13 -year-old was received with great acclaim from an enthusiastic audience.

"This was probably the only period during which the three composers represented on this CD found themselves in the same place: Dussek, already famous as a pianist and composer; Hummel as a child prodigy; and Onslow, then only eight years old, who was taking music lessons from the composer Hüllmandel. 

"In the year 1792 London was a bustling international city. The trade of exotic products from the colonies had led to prosperity that was reflected in the rise of the middle class. Along with new-found wealth, this group also assimilated the culture that had previously been the exclusive realm of the upper class. When the Revolution broke out in France, many musicians and artists sought refuge across the English Channel. Johann Ladislav Dussek was one of these. 

"[...] The premiere of Dussek's 'Quintet in F minor' took place at the King's Theatre in 1799. Dussek himself played the piano, father and son Cramer played the violin and viola, a Mr. White played the cello, and the legendary bassist Dragonetti performed on the contrabass. 

"After his marriage to Sophia Corri in 1792, Dussek became a partner in her father's publishing house. Neither father nor son-in-law had a great deal of business acumen and the company was declared bankrupt in 1800. Dussek had already fled London at the end of 1799 to escape his creditors. He left his wife and daughter behind there and would never return. 

"The two remaining composers represented on this CD spent only a brief time in London. Johann Nepomuk Hummel returned to Vienna in 1793 and continued his musical studies with Albrechtsberger and Salieri. George Onslow returned to his parents in France in the same year. It is probable that he was only sent to his uncle in London to receive his early education. [...]

"[...] In 1802 Hummel had already been back in Vienna for ten years. He was no longer a child prodigy and as a man in his early twenties had yet to begin his career. He played in salons, gave lessons and slowly built up his connections. At that time he composed little, his opus consisted of only a few pieces for piano solo and some chamber music, not yet extending beyond opus 9. 

"According to the article on Hummel in 'The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians', the 'Piano Quintet in E-flat minor, op.87' was written in 1802. This date is problematic because pianos at that time lacked the range necessary to perform this piece. The Viennese piano around 1800 had a range of 5½ octaves, while the quintet requires 6½. The problem of the range of the piano could be explained by proposing that Hummel composed the piece for an earlier instrument and revised it in 1822, when it was finally published, adapting it for the larger instruments then available. There remains yet another mystery: the title page reads 'Quintet in E-flat major' while the piece is actually composed in the minor mode. This could be the result of a copyists' misreading of the German key designations Es (E-flat major) and es (E-flat minor), or perhaps publishers thought that E-flat minor, with its six flats, would seem too difficult for prospective buyers. We will probably never know the real reason. 

"At the time of the quintet's publication, Hummel was Kapellmeister at the court of Weimar. Between these periods in Vienna and Weimar, he followed Haydn for a short time as Kapellmeister at the court of Esterházy, but apparently disliked the position. 

"He travelled frequently to the capital in 1814-15 to enjoy the festivities associated with the Congress of Vienna. It was here that Hummel achieved fame as the 'waltz composer'.

"In a group portrait painted by Antoine Maurin in 1844 entitled 'Galerie des compositeurs dramatiques modernes', we see George Onslow together with leading musicians Halevy, Meyerbeer, Spontini, Rossini, Berlioz, Donizetti, Berton, Mendelssohn, and Auber. A few years earlier Onslow had been granted membership to the prestigious Academie des Beaux-Arts, where he succeeded Cherubini in 1842. 

"It had been around 40 years earlier that Onslow had travelled to London to take lessons from Johann Baptist Cramer. These early music lessons, first with Hilllmandel, then Dussek in Hamburg and later Cramer were not intended to prepare Onslow for a career as a professional musician but were simply part of an aristocratic education. George's grandfather was the first Earl of Onslow. Onslow's father had been forced to leave England after a family scandal and had continued his life as a nobleman in France. George was born there and grew up in the magnificent castle of Chalendrat in Clermont-Ferrand, where he followed his father as lord of the manor. At the age of 22 he discovered the operas of Méhul and decided then that music was his vocation. Onslow combined this double life of composer and chatelain in Auvergne but in the winter season he appeared frequently in Parisian musical circles. In the 1830s and 40s opera comique was the favorite musical genre in the French capital. Composers such as Meyerbeer, Rossini, and Donizetti were popular, alongside the salons where Liszt and Chopin presented their romantic bravura piano music. Although Onslow was included in Maurin's portrait beside the fashionable composers of the day, his musical style was very different from that of his colleagues. With his strict classical style, Onslow was unique in Paris. As a composer he concentrated on instrumental works, primarily chamber music: his opus includes 36 string quartets, 34 quintets and 3 piano quintets. Schumann described Onslow's quartets as worthy successors to those by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Onslow was accepted as a member of countless prestigious musical societies and was invited to renowned festivals. 

"The 'Piano Quintet op. 76', written in 1846, is an arrangement of his 4th Symphony. An interesting feature of this work is the nickname of the Finale, 'Le Coup de Vent'. Although not mentioned by Onslow himself, this movement is suggestive of the Aeolian harp, an instrument popular in the 19th century. When placed by an open window, this instrument, consisting of strings in a box, would vibrate in the wind, producing an ethereal sound. Onslow might have been imitating this effect in the Finale with his use of rapid chromatic scales and a glass-like tinkling that can only be achieved with a special pedal effect available on some instruments of that period." (Riko Fukuda, tr. Felicity Goodwin. From the liner notes.)

Performers: Nepomuk Fortepiano Quintet

1. Johann Nepomuk Hummel - Piano Quintet In E-Flat Minor, Op. 87: I. Allegro E Risoluto Assai

2. Johann Nepomuk Hummel - Piano Quintet In E-Flat Minor, Op. 87: II. Menuetto-Allegro Con Fuoco

3. Johann Nepomuk Hummel - Piano Quintet In E-Flat Minor, Op. 87: III. Largo

4. Johann Nepomuk Hummel - Piano Quintet In E-Flat Minor, Op. 87: IV. Allegro Agitato

5. Jan Ladislav Dussek - Piano Quintet In F Minor, Op. 41: I. Allegro Non Troppo

6. Jan Ladislav Dussek - Piano Quintet In F Minor, Op. 41: II. Adagio Espressivo Non Troppo

7. Jan Ladislav Dussek - Piano Quintet In F Minor, Op. 41: III. Allegretto Ma Espressivo

8. George Onslow - Piano Quintet In G Major, Op. 76: I. Largo - Allegro

9. George Onslow - Piano Quintet In G Major, Op. 76: II. Scherzo: Allegro Vivace

10. George Onslow - Piano Quintet In G Major, Op. 76: III. Romanza: Andantino Molto Cantabile

11. George Onslow - Piano Quintet In G Major, Op. 76: IV. Finale 'Le Coup De Vent'

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Jan Ladislav Dussek - Works for Piano Four Hands

"Dussek was born four years after Mozart, and lived three years beyond Haydn, yet his life-works still can't be placed alongside those of the Classical Masters. In many respects, he can be looked upon as a forerunner to Romanticism, without him ever actually having a conscious aim to establish any new style. 

"The earliest dating work featured in this recording is the Op. 32 in C major, also known as the 'Grande Ouverture', which was written in 1796. It was in that year that Dussek's 'piano study hook' was published, in London in English (and then in Leipzig in 1802 in German). Also in that year, he and lgnaz Joseph Pleyel were preparing to put out a work far publication in Paris in the following year — the 'Nouvelle Methode de Pianoforte, contenant les principes du doigte'. The monumental opening movement of the 'Grand Ouverture', (with a slow opening in sonata form) is lengthier than the following too, and superior even in it's refinement. (Therefore, truly justifying it's title of 'Grand Ouverture'). The solemn and stately nature of the 'Largo' calls to mind the French-type ouverture. In the fast main section, the first subject is followed by a lengthy transition section (in which the bridge function of the section is barely noticeable, because of the abundance of thematic material). It is soon noticeable, that the secondary theme, which begins as conventional and steady, is in actuality, flexible. The start of the development section is flighty in character, and the many chains of sequences can cause the listener to lose direction. It is the feature of the recapitulation, that after many modulations, the listener is once again thrown into uncertainty; the theme appearing in the subdominant, (almost as if the real recapitulation were actually only a false one). The F-major 'Larghetto' is the simple binary form — an 'Haven of Peace' within the work. 

"In the closing 'Rondo', the characteristic circle dance is apparent, and in it's form, the structure is relatively free. The rondo theme is like an endlessly lengthy section in itself. As a result of this characteristic, any musical material can he introduced, distorting it's proportions, contrary to the expectations of the listener. Chronologically, his next work — also in C major — is the Op. 48, written in 1801, and is the first piece featured on this disc. The proportions of the movements are more even, though again it is the first movement that is the most significant. In the exposition section of the 'Allegro', transitions and modulations make the second subject area particularly lengthy. For the most part, it is from this pliable material that the heavily modulating development section is built. Surprisingly, in the following recapitulation, the opening of the first subject theme is not re-introduced. This 'surprise' element is emphasised further by the fact that it doesn't stay continuously within the tonic key. 

"The middle movement a 'Larghetto' in A-flat major, almost reaches I Beethovenian heights and depths. It suggests a sense or intimacy, and at the same time, shows Dussek's sensitivity to key-symbolism. 

"The C minor intermezzo leads with attacca into the following 'Rondo', in which the sections are dynamic and asymmetric, thus holding the attention. The theme on this occasion is also characterised by the fact that it can appear at anytime, almost imperceptibly, for as long as the previous material is able to blend with it. It's defining feature, is the lack of melodical particularity, and it is precisely because of that, that almost on the initial hearing, a sense of familiarity is awakened. The three fugues dating from 1808, are in D major, G minor and F major. In all three movements, the importance of the interlude sections appears almost negligible, as the movements are almost entirely structured around the thematic material. 

"However, it would be futile to look for any characteristics of the art of the Baroque fugue, since the movements fulfil only mono-thematic expectations. 

"Dussck's sensitivity towards the tonalities he chooses can be traced back to the start of his career. He was particularly drawn to the key of G minor, which he would always use to achieve a specific atmospheric effect. 

"His late 'Piano sonata in B major' (1811), with the slow movement — a heart-rending funeral march in G minor — is a fine examples of this. As if self-conscious in openly displaying his emotions, he diverts attention towards a light-hearted minuet-finale." (Katalin Eider, tr. Catherine Offord. From the liner notes.)

Performers: Adrienne Soós, Ivo Haag

1. Sonata In C Major, Op. 48 (C. 186): I. Allegro
2. Sonata In C Major, Op. 48 (C. 186): II. Larghetto Affetuoso E Non Troppo Lento
3. Sonata In C Major, Op. 48 (C. 186): III. Intermezzo. Allegretto Moderato Ma Energico - Rondo. Allegro Moderato
4. Grande Sonate In B-Flat Major, Op. 74 (C. 234): I. Allegro Con Fuoco
5. Grande Sonate In B-Flat Major, Op. 74 (C. 234): II. Marche Funebre. Andante Moderato
6. Grande Sonate In B-Flat Major, Op. 74 (C. 234): III. Menuetto. Tempo Di Ballo - Quasi Andante
7. Three Fugues, Op. 64: Fuga I (C. 227). Tempo Molto Moderato
8. Three Fugues, Op. 64: Fuga II (C. 228). Andante Moderato
9. Three Fugues, Op. 64: Fuga III (C. 229). Tempo Ad Libitum Ma Non Presto
10. Sonata In C Major, Op. 32 (C. 144): I. Largo - Allegro Moderato
11. Sonata In C Major, Op. 32 (C. 144): II. Larghetto Non Tanto
12. Sonata In C Major, Op. 32 (C. 144): III. Rondo. Allegretto

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Jan Ladislav Dussek - Sonatas; Fantasia and Fugue

"Dussek settled in two places in turn, both capital cities and major cultural centres: Paris and London. He arrived in Paris in 1786 and remained there till 1789, when he left in the midst of the turmoil produced by the Revolution, his departure motivated by a justified fear that his close contact with Marie Antoinette could have fatal consequences. Like so many fugitives from the political upheaval in France, he headed for London - but returned to Paris again for the last five years of his life. Dussek spent a full ten years in London, making it the longest period he stayed in any one place. And it didn't take him long to become established as one of the city's most prominent musical personalities. It was here that the four piano sonatas on this disc were written. Dussek's op. 31 consisting of a single sonata framed by two piano trios - appeared in 1795 while op. 35 was published in 1797. 

"If Dussek's biography seems to belong more in the 19th century than the 18th, the same is true of his music in many respects. Permeated as they are by heroism and triumphant antitheses, don't the first movements of the C minor and G major sonatas recall the music of Beethoven's middle period? Yet Beethoven had only just published his earliest piano sonatas, op. 2, in 1796, so Dussek can scarcely have been familiar with them. And isn't the first movement of the B-flat sonata reminiscent of Schubert in its rhapsodic approach to sonata form and its fondness for colourful modulations instead of thematic development? Yet 1797 was the year of Schubert's birth! Other features of Dussek's music point even farther into the future: a specific 'salon tone' especially evident in the last movements of op. 31/2, op. 35/1 and op. 34/2 with their hint of Bohemian folk music, takes us into the world of John Field and Chopin, both of whom were to delight Parisian high society with their Polish mazurkas some decades hence. Incidentally, one cannot help but wonder at this stage whether the Paris correspondent of the Leipzig 'Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung,' whose obituary on Dussek is quoted at the beginning of this text, was right to claim Dussek as a German composer without elaborating. For the fact is that the above-mentioned 'salon tone' actually originated in Paris or London rather than in Vienna; and moreover, surprising as it may seem, Vienna was the only major European music centre that the widely traveled virtuoso never visited. We also find a certain casualness about Dussek's compositions which is by no means typically German: consecutive fifths that could easily have been avoided are left as they are, and thematic recapitulations are often robbed of some of their clarity by minor inconsistencies that one can assume to be accidental. I have taken the liberty of doing a little retouching here and there, as I am obviously more pedantic about such matters than the composer... I am also to blame for another alteration to the original: the two movements of the B-flat sonata seem to me to have such a similar rhythm that I have been so bold as to add a brief improvised introduction before the second movement for the sake of variety. Dussek's piano writing is creative in the extreme. In comparison with the clear transparency of pre-1800 Viennese Piano music, Dussek seems altogether modern in the expansive virtuosity and full-voiced character of his writing. We have here a good example of the mutual influence of instrument and perform-er/composer on one another: the pianos of English manufacture that Dussek expressly preferred do indeed allow a much more 'modern' and expansive manner of playing than their Viennese counterparts. Both Dussek's and Clementi's music show clearly the deliberate exploitation of the potential of English pianos. Thus I was particularly fortunate to have the chance to use Jérôme Hantaï's wonderful Broadwood grand for this recording. I should like to offer special thanks to him and also to Christopher Clarke, who restored the instrument and looked after tuning etc. during the recording sessions. I very much hope that the attractive sound of the historic piano will more than compensate the listener for one or two mechanical noises that can be heard in the background. 

"Dussek left London in a hurry in 1800, as much to flee his creditors as to abandon his conjugal obligations. He made a provisional home in Hamburg, from where he undertook several concert tours to enable him to live in the extravagant style to which he was accustomed. But he was no longer a youngster, and longed for a regular, comfortable position. In 1804 he got to know Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia, who engaged him both as music teacher and as musical director. The two of them evidently got on famously, with colleague Louis Spohr shaking his head over nightly bacchanalian 'orgies' (sic!)... This indulgent idyll came to an abrupt end, however, when the Prince fell in the Battle of Saalfeld in 1806. Dussek gave him a moving memorial in his 'Élegie Harmonique', the first notes of which quote the 'Consummatum est' from Haydn's 'Seven Last Words.' - Once again compelled to look elsewhere, Dussek eventually made his way to Paris, in the service of Talleyrand. He knew the city well, having spent several years there when younger, although he had moved to London ahead of the Revolution. That explains 'Le Retour À Paris' - though there is another title too. Joseph Woelfl had written a 'Ne Plus Ultra' sonata, which he saw as the last word in technical difficulty. Dussek accepted the challenge and came back with a twinkle in his eye and 'Plus Ultra.' True enough, I had to do quite a bit of practising on the outer movements... But the work has high musical ambitions too: it must be one of the earliest examples of the great romantic sonata. To end at the beginning: recitals began at that time with free prelude playing. Written down after the event, the result is something like the 'Fantasia and Fugue' in F minor, dedicated to his friend J. B. Cramer. The Fugue should be perceived more as an improvisational essay in free-ranging modulation (like most of his contemporaries' piano fugues) rather than polyphonic exaltation. Father Bach would have been amused by it at best..." (Andreas Staier, tr. Clive R. Williams; J. & M. Berridge. From the liner notes.)

Performer: Andreas Staier

1.1. Piano Sonata In B-Flat Major, Op. 35 No. 1: I. Allegro Moderato E Maestoso

1.2. Piano Sonata In B-Flat Major, Op. 35 No. 1: II. Introduzione

1.3. Piano Sonata In B-Flat Major, Op. 35 No. 1: III. Finale. Allegro Non Troppo Con Spirito

1.4. Piano Sonata In G Major, Op. 35 No. 2: I. Allegro

1.5. Piano Sonata In G Major, Op. 35 No. 2: II. Rondo. Molto Allegro Con Espressione

1.6. Piano Sonata In C Minor, Op. 35 No. 3: I. Allegro Agitato Assai

1.7. Piano Sonata In C Minor, Op. 35 No. 3: II. Adagio Patetico Ed Espressivo

1.8. Piano Sonata In C Minor, Op. 35 No. 3: III. Intermezzo. Presto

1.9. Piano Sonata In C Minor, Op. 35 No. 3: IV. Finale. Allegro Molto

1.10. Piano Sonata In D Major, Op. 31 No. 2: I. Allegro Non Tanto

1.11. Piano Sonata In D Major, Op. 31 No. 2: II. Adagio Con Espressione

1.12. Piano Sonata In D Major, Op. 31 No. 2: III. Pastorale. Allegro Non Troppo

2.1. Fantasia & Fugue, Op. 55: Fantasia

2.2. Fantasia & Fugue, Op. 55: Fugue

2.3. Piano Sonata, Op. 64 'Le Retour À Paris': Allegro Non Troppo Ed Espressivo

2.4. Piano Sonata, Op. 64 'Le Retour À Paris': Molto Adagio Con Anima Ed Espressione

2.5. Piano Sonata, Op. 64 'Le Retour À Paris': Tempo Di Minuetto - Scherzo Quasi Allegro - Trio

2.6. Piano Sonata, Op. 64 'Le Retour À Paris': Finale - Scherzo (Allegro Con Spirito)

2.7. Piano Sonata In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 61 'Elégie Harmonique': Lento Patetico - Tempo Agitato

2.8. Piano Sonata In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 61 'Elégie Harmonique': Tempo Vivace E Con Fuoco Quasi Presto

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Jan Ladislav Dussek - Duos for Harp & Piano Forte

"Dussek was a compositional pioneer, but also (like all the great composers) was willing and able to cater for all audiences and provide brilliant lighter music when necessary. His music for Harp and Piano reflects this extremely clearly. On this CD we have 4 works by Dussek: 2 larger scale works (Op. 72 Duo in E-flat, and Op. 73 Duo Concertant in F) clearly written to be played during his last years in France with his great harpist colleague François Naderman (who also published the music), an earlier F major Duo Op. 26 from 1794 'As Performed at Mr. Salomon's Concert in Hanover Square' in London, and a lovely 2-movement Duettino in C clearly written with the amateur market in mind. All of this music is superbly crafted. His understanding of the relationship between these two instruments gained through his immense experience is perfect. 

"It must be said here that the incredible sound mix between the harp and piano in this musk can only be truly appreciated by its delivery on excellent instruments from Dussek's time. The qualities of both the Broadwood piano and the Naderman harp are unbelievably complimentary and stunningly attuned to each other. It is sometimes difficult to determine who is playing what. The Broadwood piano in particular has the ability to play with a gossamer-light sound which allows the harp through without a fight. It can however thunder when needed, a characteristic of these new and exciting pianos from England which appealed so strongly to Haydn and Beethoven.

"The musical scores are full of expression marks. Rinforzando, smorzando, calando, espressivo, mezza/sottovoce, ppp and ff markings are plastered throughout Dussek's music - and not just the later works. Scores from the late 1780s and 90s also show a huge variety of performance directions. This demands that the players provide a great deal of flexibility and attention to sound, rhythm and tempo modification, and also encourages great openness of expression. The music is throbbing with emotion, sometimes extravagantly so. Perhaps this partially explains why this music is so 'out-of-fashion' these days.

"So gentle reader - A personal plea - Open your-self to this music. Dussek is truly important to the piano world, both as a composer-performer and a historical figure. I for one intend to use this year as a platform to refashion a place for Dussek and his music. The piano sonatas, violin sonatas and masses of other chamber music deserve to be heard much more often. With over 250 compositions to explore we have a real cause for a Dussek revival. I hope this small taste of what Dussek can create and a glimpse into his world will inspire you to join us in this crusade against the Creatures of Fashion in all their hideous forms."  (Richard Egarr. From the liner notes.)

Performers: Masumi Nagasawa, Richard Egarr

1. Duo Concertant In F Major, Op. 73: I. Allegro Moderato
2. Duo Concertant In F Major, Op. 73: II. Larghetto Espressivo
3. Duo Concertant In F Major, Op. 73: III. Rondo. Allegretto Ma Moderato
4. Duettino In C Major, C. 189: I. Allegretto Moderato
5. Duettino In C Major, C. 189: II. Rondo. Allegretto
6. Duetto In F Major, Op. 26: I. Allegro
7. Duetto In F Major, Op. 26: II. Larghetto
8. Duetto In F Major, Op. 26: III. Rondo. Allegretto
9. Duo Concertant In E-Flat Major, Op. 72: I. Allegro Maestoso
10. Duo Concertant In E-Flat Major, Op. 72: II. Les Souvenirs. Larghetto Affettuoso
11. Duo Concertant In E-Flat Major, Op. 72: III. Rondo. Allegro Con Brio
12. Sophia Giustina Dussek-Corri - Introduction & Waltz

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Jan Ladislav Dussek - String Quartets

"Dussek is right to consider his quartets to be in his very own style. Perhaps Dussek is the only contemporary of Beethoven who was able to preserve his own style without suffering under the immense influence of the great classicist. Rather, Dussek can be seen as the first the Romantic composer (along with Prince Louis Ferdinand). After all, Schubert's very first, and still very much classical compositions overlap into the final months of Dussek's life, while the string quartets Op. 60 were written at a time which would hardly be called Romanticism in music history. Yet Dussek cannot be assigned to Classicism, neither in his character nor in his music, as the string quartets clearly document. [...]

"Perhaps the quartets later also suffered a certain déjà vu - they occasionally seem to remind us of better known, but always much later works. Easily they could be mistaken for music from the 1820s or 1830s. Their date of 1806 makes them all the more revolutionary, unprecedented and modern.

"The three quartets of Op. 60 are conceived as a cycle. The first quartet in G Major is in a lighter character, with only three movements, the middle of which is in the style of an Intermezzo with a virtuoso alla Polacca finale. The second quartet appears the most classical of the three. A certain closeness to Beethoven seems to be intended as the movement title Adagio pathetico reveals. The second subject is a direct quote from Haydn's op. 103. The third quartet points far into the future, with all elements of Romantic music already present. The slow movement is perhaps the most ingenious of the whole opus, as it appears to he almost late Romantic. Also notable is the tonality of the scherzo, which begins in C-sharp Minor yet settles in the home key of E flat, while the Trio is set in B major." (Johannes Gebauer. From the liner notes.)

Performers: Camesina Quartet

1. Three String Quartets, Op. 60 No. 1 In G Major: I. Allegro Grazioso
2. Three String Quartets, Op. 60 No. 1 In G Major: II. Larghetto Non Troppo Lento
3. Three String Quartets, Op. 60 No. 1 In G Major: III. Rondo. Tempo Di Polacca Quasi Andante
4. Three String Quartets, Op. 60 No. 2 In B-Flat Major: I. Allegretto
5. Three String Quartets, Op. 60 No. 2 In B-Flat Major: II. Adagio Pathetico
6. Three String Quartets, Op. 60 No. 2 In B-Flat Major: III. Menuetto. Non Presto E Semplice
7. Three String Quartets, Op. 60 No. 2 In B-Flat Major: IV. Finale. Allegro Non Troppo
8. Three String Quartets, Op. 60 No. 3 In E-Flat Major: I. Allegro Espressivo
9. Three String Quartets, Op. 60 No. 3 In E-Flat Major: II. Adagio Non Tanto
10. Three String Quartets, Op. 60 No. 3 In E-Flat Major: III. Menuetto. Scherzo. Con Moto Assai
11. Three String Quartets, Op. 60 No. 3 In E-Flat Major: IV. Finale. Allegro Moderato

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Jan Ladislav Dussek - Piano Sonatas Op. 44 & Op. 77

"The Sonata Op.44 is not only a dedication to and a farewell with Dussek’s friend and musical contemporary Muzio Clementi. It is also a journey through all the musical styles and époques to which Dussek bore witness. The polyphony and the canonic imitations in the development of the 1st movement represent the heritage of the Baroque era. The clear lines of the rhetorical formulae in the 1st movement belong to the classical style of Haydn and Mozart. The exquisite coquetry of the dance in the Trio of the Menuet relate to the salon of the pre-Chopin times. And the last bars of the Sonata are blown away in an extraordinary gesture of farewell.

"The Sonata Op.77 (L’Invocation) deserves its reputation as one of the most outstanding of Dussek’s works. It is not free of the weaker traits of the earlier pieces: the clichés in form, the trivial appoggiaturas and sighs, the use of diminished 7th chords to express passion and tragedy, and the tonal monotony (especially in the 1st movement and the Menuet). Nevertheless, the emotional candor, the romantic impulse, the depressive melancholy in the presentiment of his coming death make up for the lack of invention in manipulating the musical material. Both in the 1st and the final movements, the music achieves dramatic heights only to break down and fall deep into resignation and despair. Dussek surpasses Beethoven and Schubert in the expression of subjective feeling. In this Sonata, he reaches out to the Romanticism of Chopin (3rd mvt.), Schumann (episodes of the Finale) and Brahms (Trio). Again and again, the listener is impressed by the fusion of baroque archaism, classical sonata forms, the novelty and expression of the melodic contour, the richness of the piano writing and the boldness in the use of all possible resources of the instrument. (Alexei Lubimov, tr. Liza Miller. From the liner notes.)

Performer: Alexei Lubimov

1. Piano Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat Major, Op. 44, Craw 178: I. Introduzione. Grave - Allegro Moderato
2. Piano Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat Major, Op. 44, Craw 178: II. Molto Adagio E Sostenuto
3. Piano Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat Major, Op. 44, Craw 178: III. Tempo Di Menuetto Piuttosto Allegro
4. Piano Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat Major, Op. 44, Craw 178: IV. Rondo. Allegro Moderato Ed Espressivo
5. Piano Sonata No. 28 In F Minor, Op. 77, Craw 259: I. Allegro Moderato, Ma Energico
6. Piano Sonata No. 28 In F Minor, Op. 77, Craw 259: II. Tempo Di Menuetto. Con Moto
7. Piano Sonata No. 28 In F Minor, Op. 77, Craw 259: III. Adagio Non Troppo, Ma Solenne
8. Piano Sonata No. 28 In F Minor, Op. 77, Craw 259: IV. Rondo. Allegro Moderato

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