String Quartett in f-minor I. Allegro

[gprengel]

Hi,
in the last weeks I wrote this Allegro for a string quartett in classical style.
I am curious what you think of it and would be grateful for some constructive remarks ...

www.gerdprengel.de/quartett-fm-1.mp3
www.gerdprengel.de/String_Quartett_fm-1.pdf

Gerd

[Peter]

I quite enjoyed it and you obviously have a good understanding of counterpoint and harmony. I wasn't sure about the need for constant change of key signatures and don't suppose string players would thank you for the 7 flats! I wasn't convinced by the Lento ending which seemed stuck on - a criticism of course levelled at Beethoven himself in Op.95. This is of course just a first impression and I would be interested to hear our harmony teacher's verdict on what I think is a good effort!

[Chris]

Thanks for sharing that with us - I enjoyed it as well. Though Peter is right - I would have impaled you through the chest with my bow for all those flats!

[gprengel]

...don't suppose string players would thank you for the 7 flats! I wasn't convinced by the Lento ending which seemed stuck on - a criticism of course levelled at Beethoven himself in Op.95 ...

Well, there is a string quartett by Tschaikowsky (No.3) which has Eb-minor with 6 flats even as its main key. Here in my piece I was in Ab-Major and wanted to change to Ab-minor (I think Beethoven does this also in the Andante of the 5th symphony). But okay, if this may be too hard to play I may consider to transpose the whole piece by a half note down to e-minor. Then the problem would be solved. What would be interesting is, whether by this the character of the whole piece would change. The old question arises whether certain keys have certain characteristics and "colours" - hmh, would be an interesting experiement...

I wasn't convinced by the Lento ending which seemed stuck on - a criticism of course levelled at Beethoven himself in Op.95
What "stuck on" Lento in Op.95 do you mean?
Regarding my piece I found that this slow variations of my main theme in the end (first f-minor, then F Major) is even the most beautiful part of the whole movement and I didn't want to miss this chance to present it. I wish I could even prolong it ...

[Peter]

Well, there is a string quartett by Tschaikowsky (No.3) which has Eb-minor with 6 flats even as its main key. Here in my piece I was in Ab-Major and wanted to change to Ab-minor (I think Beethoven does this also in the Andante of the 5th symphony). But okay, if this may be too hard to play I may consider to transpose the whole piece by a half note down to e-minor. Then the problem would be solved. What would be interesting is, whether by this the character of the whole piece would change. The old question arises whether certain keys have certain characteristics and "colours" - hmh, would be an interesting experiement...

I wasn't convinced by the Lento ending which seemed stuck on - a criticism of course levelled at Beethoven himself in Op.95
What "stuck on" Lento in Op.95 do you mean?
Regarding my piece I found that this slow variations of my main theme in the end (first f-minor, then F Major) is even the most beautiful part of the whole movement and I didn't want to miss this chance to present it. I wish I could even prolong it ...

Firstly in referring to Op.95 I didn't mean a Lento, I meant the allegro last page of the finale which has been criticised for being stuck on, though I personally like it as a bit of Beethovian humour! I thought your Lento would have been better placed as a slow movement in its own right rather the context you placed it in - I just felt that your first movement could have done with a more exciting coda.

Regarding your flats I think I had in mind more the constant changes of key signature, in some places every two bars - could you not simply deal with that with accidentals?

Overall I liked your work and my suggestions are only from a personal viewpoint, not those of a harmony professor!

[Michael]

Firstly in referring to Op.95 I didn't mean a Lento, I meant the allegro last page of the finale which has been criticised for being stuck on, though I personally like it as a bit of Beethovian humour!
!

The Italianos have recorded a very fine version of this quartet, but you can distinctly hear an edit at the end of the last movement where the allegro begins which makes it sound even more "stuck on".
But I always thought this works brilliantly in a musical sense. Beethoven seems to have reached the end of his tether in the final movement of this dark and bitter work and his final reaction is: "Well, to hell with it!" and then he turns into Rossini (or Mendelssohn). Marvellous!