Klarinet Archive - Posting 000449.txt from 1995/09

From: Justin O'Dell <X92ODELL1@-----.EDU>
Subj: Robert Fuchs Clarinet Quintet
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 1995 00:12:00 -0400

Below are the program notes for the Clarinet Quintet by Robert Fuchs that
were requested by a number of klarinet subscribers. These notes were written
by Dr. Alfons Ott and were translated from the original German by Linda
Trotter. The quintet is published by Wollenweber.

Robert Fuchs, opus 102
Clarinet Quintet in E-Flat Major

Robert Fuchs was born on February 15, 1847, in the Styrian Frauental
and died on February 19, 1927, a few days after his splendidly celebrated
80th birthday. His music-fulfilled life was accompanied by compositional and
pedagogical successes. Ranking with other famous musicians were the
composition professor's students at the Vienna Conservatory, such as Hugo
Wolf, Gusav Mahler, Franz Schmidt, Franz Shreker, and Jean Sibelius. His
five enchanting orchestral serenades went all over the world and brought him
the somewhat one-sided name "Serenade Fox." Meanwhile, his sensative songs
and choruses, both of his operas, and his substantial symphonies fell
unjustly into oblivion.
With the connoisseurs, he was certainly thought of as a master of
chamber music, which he, in highly personal stamped manner, enriched through
numerous valuable works inevery imaginable combination. On November 6, 1891,
his friend and sponsor, Johannes Brahms, found an opinion for the rich
creativity of the vigorous musician which is still valid today: "Fuchs is a
great musician. So fine, so clever, so charming is everything invented, that
one always has pleasure in it!" This is valid for the piano pieces, as well
as the instrumental sonatas of every kind, and for the trios and quartets
with and without piano, especially for one of his nost mature works: the
quintet for clarinet, two violins, viola, and cello.
The work was heard in the year of its completion in March, 1917,
within the scope of a Viennese festival concert celebrating Robert Fuchs'
70th birthday, and appeared two years later through the music publisher,
Adolf Robitschek, in Vienna and Leipzig, as first printing. Regarding the
first performance, the New Free Press Vienna wrote on April 23, 1917, "Middle
and high formed the beautiful Clarinet Quintet in E-Flat Major, which was
composed into sounds describing the colors and scent of delicate spring
flowers. Especially charming was the second movement, an allegro scherzando.
Court musician Behrens played his part artistically; the strings (Busch,
Klitmann, Doctor, Grummer) joined him in joyous teamwork. So strong was the
unanimous applause after the quintet, that finally the old master stepped
forward and together with the performing artists, accepted the thanks of the
public."
Grace and reflection stamp the mood of this work, which in its way
forms a worthy supplement to the clarinet quintets of Mozart, Brahms, and
Reger. In the sonata movement of the Allero molto moderato the clarinet
sings over wide arching (bending) 9/8 measures a painful sweet tune, which
will be relieved by a teasing, playful dialogue between violin and woodwind.
A lovely third theme in 3/4 time joins. After a modulation-rich realization
the moement glides to the repeat and floats with the dreamy main theme into
pianissimo. A delicate violin melody dominates the C-major trio and the coda
of the scherzo movement, Allagro scherzando, whose main part is determined by
the somewhat melancholy charm of a dancing C-minor theme. The heart of the
work is the 12/8 swinging Andante sostenuto in A-flat major, in which the
clarinet and violin unite in expressive melodic arabesques. The finale,
Allegretto grazioso, binds together a colorful bouquet of straight-measured
alla breve themes and Landler melodies in 3/4 time to a buoyant rondo.

**If any one need a hard copy of these notes, send me a self-addressed
stamped envelope. Also, if you want to buy parts, I might be able to give
you some leads on where to buy it.

Justin O'Dell
3152 Mill Creek Dr., #5
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
x92odell1@-----.edu