bruch3

A string quartet by the 14-year-old Max Bruch has been located in an archive in Frankfurt. According to musicologist Ulrike Kienzle, who found the manuscript, the themes of the second and third movements are identical to themes in Bruch's Quartet no.1 of 1858, performed here by the Academica Quartet.

'Bruch's two string quartets date from his youth. One rarely hears them today which is unjust as they are full of rich and effective melodies and are well-written in the style of the mid Romantic. To some extent, they resemble Mendelssohn's Op.44 quartets. The First Quartet dates from 1858. The first movement begins with an Andante introduction and leads to an Allegro ma non troppo with its energetic and powerful main theme. The lovely second subject is more lyrical. The second movement, Adagio, is a sweet song without words. A stormy scherzo, Allegro molto energetico, follows. Its contrasting trio section is based on a folk melody. The finale, Molto vivace, is a tarantella. Both of its themes are particularly fetching.' – Wilhelm Altmann writing in his Handbook for String Quartet Players.

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