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Anton Rubinstein

Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894)

Nationality: Russian
Born: November 28, 1829, Vikhvatintsï, Ukraine Died: November 20, 1894, Peterhof (age 65)
wikipedia | imslp

String Quartet in e minor, Op. 90, No. 2

(for 2 violins, viola and cello)
I. Allegro assai, appassionato
II. Allegro vivace
III. Moderato assai [con variazione]
IV. Moderato assai - Allegro assai
Composed: 1871 (age 41-42)
Published: 1892 (age 62-63)
Revised: 1892 (age 62-63)

glossary

  • allegro [I]—fast, lively tempo. From the Italian word for cheerful or gay.
  • appassionato, passionato, passionné [F], avec passion, passionnément—passionate; ardent
  • assai—very much. Intensifies the direction of its neighboring words, e.g. "allegro assai", very fast
  • chamber music, Kammermusik [G], musique de chambre [F], musica da camera [I], musica cameralis [L]—"Classical Music" for a small ensemble, generally 8 or fewer players with a canonical emphasis on 3-6 players. explore
  • moderato [I], moderamente, modéré [F], modérément [F]—moderately, at a moderate tempo, applying a touch of restraint to its related word(s), e.g. allegro moderato
  • opus [L], opera[pl], Op., Opp, WoO, Op. posth—work, as in a work of art. For unique identification, publishers/composers often assign an "opus number", abbreviated as "Op." (e.g. Op. 1). A range of works by opus number, uses the plural "opp." (e.g. "Opp. 1-3"). A single opus number may refer to a collection of works (e.g. a set of quartets) giving rise to designations like "Op. 1, No. 4". For misc. works without opus numbers, "WoO" is often used (e.g."Without Opus"). Posthumously assigned numbers may use "Op. posth". Opus numbers may not precisely reflect chronology (publication vs. composition), can be erroneous, sparse or duplicative. Thus, the works of some historically important composers may use separate catalog numbers (e.g. Bach, Haydn, Schubert). See wiki
  • string quartet, Streichquartett [G], quatuor à cordes [F], quartetto d'archi [I], quartetto di cordi [I], cuarteto de cuerda [S]—an ensemble as well as music written for that ensemble comprising 2 violins, viola and cello. This is one of the essential genres / forms / ensembles of chamber music and arguably a critical "core" of "classical" music.
    Explore the string quartet.
  • vivace—brisk, lively tempo faster than allegro