Ernst Toch

Ernst Toch (1887-1964)

Nationality: Austrian
Born: December 7, 1887, Vienna Died: October 1, 1964, Santa Monica, CA (age 76)
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String Quartet No. 13, Op. 74

(for 2 violins, viola and cello)
10:36 I. Molto tranquillo
4:54 II. Allegro non troppo
5:04 III. Slow, dolcissimo con espressione
4:57 IV. Allegro assai
Duration: 25 minutes (approximately)
Composed: 1953-1954 (age 65-67)

glossary

  • -issimo [I]—An ending used to form a superlative meaning "very", "extremely", "the most". E.g. presto = fast, prestissimo = extremely fast
  • allegro [I]—fast, lively tempo. From the Italian word for cheerful or gay.
  • 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
  • con [I,S]—with
  • dolce, dolcemente—sweet, gentle; sweetly, gently
  • molto [It]—very much
  • 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
  • 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.
  • tranquillo [It], tranquille [F], tranquillement—tranquil, peaceful, soft
  • troppo [I], non troppo, trop [F]—too, too much. non troppo means "not too much". e.g. "Allegro ma non troppo" means fast, but not too much