Summary
Ernest Bloch's Piano Quintet No. 1 is a quintet for piano, 2 violins, viola, and cello. It is regarded as one of Bloch's greatest achievements.[1]
Composed in Cleveland in 1923, the work was markedly innovative for its time[2] and has been described as "suffused with tension",[3] and as embodying a "grim, angry, yet ultimately redemptive vision".[1]
Structure edit
There are three movements:
The work is based around a motto theme built from ascending and descending fourths. The first movement falls roughly into the shape of a sonata allegro, and contrasts material of a grim tone with more mysterious, reflective moments. The second movement is mournful and builds to a huge climax before fading away. The final movement is more rhapsodic in nature contrasting reflective and energetic passages, before ending on a perfect cadence with a sense of serene resolution.[1] The work is notable for its frequent use of quarter tones.[4][5]
Recordings edit
Notable historical recordings:
- The first recording was by the Pro Arte Quartet with Alfredo Casella in 1933.[6]
- Quintetto Chigiano: Riccardo Brengola, violin; Mario Benvenuti, violin II; Giovanni Leone, viola; Lino Filippini, cello; Sergio Lorenzi, piano (Decca LXT2626 - 1951)
References edit
- ^ a b c Walter Simmons (1 February 2004). Voices in the Wilderness: Six American Neo-Romantic Composers. Scarecrow Press. pp. 68–. ISBN 978-0-8108-4884-9. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ Basil Smallman (14 November 1996). The Piano Quartet and Quintet: Style, Structure, and Scoring. Oxford University Press. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-19-816640-5. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ "Bloch: Piano quintets 1 & 2/Kocian". classicstoday.com.
- ^ Smallman, Basil (1996). The Piano Quartet and Quintet: Style, Structure, and Scoring. Clarendon Press. p. 153. ISBN 0198166400.
- ^ Murray, Lucy Miller (2015). Chamber Music: An Extensive Guide for Listeners. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 80. ISBN 1442243430.
- ^ Pro Arte Quartet -PDF