Benjamin Frankel

Benjamin Frankel (1906-1973)

Nationality: English
Born: January 31, 1906, London Died: February 12, 1973, London (age 67)
wikipedia

String Quartet No. 4, Op. 21

(for 2 violins, viola and cello)
I. Allegro comodo
II. Scherzando
III. Lento mesto
IV. Andantino semplice
Duration: 15 minutes (approximately)
Composed: 1949 (age 42-43)

glossary

  • allegro [I]—fast, lively tempo. From the Italian word for cheerful or gay.
  • andantino—faster than andante, slower than allegretto. Sometimes andantino is interpreted as the opposite: slower than andante
  • 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
  • comodo [I], commodo—comfortable, unhurried, easy
  • lento, lent [F], lentement [F], avec lenteur [F]—slow (tempo)
  • mesto—sad, mournful, possibly dour
  • 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
  • quartet, quatuor [F], quartett [G], quartetto [I], cuarteto [S]—ensemble or work for four players the most important examples being the string quartet and the piano quartet
  • scherzando [I], scherzoso, scherzante—playfully, lively, jestingly
  • semplice [I], con semplicità—simple, unaffected
  • string quartet, Streichquartett [G], quatuor à cordes [F], quartetto d'archi [I], quartetto di cordi [I], cuarteto de cuerda [S], vonósnégyes [H]—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.