Born on the 50th anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birth , Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga y Balzola (1806-1826) was actually known as the “Spanish Mozart” for early displays of his prodigious musical talents. But his reputation fell into decline after his premature death, just ten days before he would have turned 20 years old. Yet despite his short life and small output, Arriaga left enough of an impression that his cause was taken up in the late 19th century and his music has had periodic revivals ever since. Part of the attraction of Arriaga’s tragically short life and career involves speculation over what he might have accomplished, had he the time to mature. Certainly, we know less of Arriaga’s potential directions than of Mozart’s, who achieved total mastery over his art, whereas Arriaga had just emerged from the Paris Conservatoire and was still developing his style. In any event, his elegant music holds attractions sufficient to please casual listeners and rigorous critics alike; and though his music strongly resembles the styles of Mozart, Franz Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven, and at times even anticipates Franz Schubert, there is a unique and youthful voice in Arriaga’s works that has considerable power to charm and move.
Cuarteto Casals – Arriaga: String Quartets
String Quartet No. 1 in D minor
I. Allegro
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II. Adagio con espressione
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III. Menuetto (Allegretto)
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IV. Adagio – Allegretto
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String Quartet No. 2 in A major
I. Allegro con brio
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II. Andante con variazioni
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III. Menuetto (Scherzo)
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IV. Andante ma non troppo. Allegro
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String Quartet No. 3 in E flat major
I. Allegro
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II. Andantino (Pastoral)
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III. Menuetto (Allegro)
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IV. Presto agitato
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Il Fondamento, Paul Dombrecht, conductor – Música para orquestra, 1818-1824
Overture, Op. 20
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Symphony in D major
I. Adagio – Allegro – Presto
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II. Andante
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III. Menuetto. Allegro – Trio
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IV. Allegro con moto
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Los Esclavos Felices, Overture
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Overture for Nonet, Op. 1
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