Ernst Toch (1887-1964)

Nationality: Austrian

Born: December 7, 1887, Vienna Died: October 1, 1964, Santa Monica, CA (age 76)

wikipedia | imslp

String Quartet No. 8 in D-flat major, Op. 18

(for 2 violins, viola and cello)

6:31	I.	Quasi prologus. Langsam, nicht schleppend, frei im Vortrag
6:32	II.	Lebhaft
6:31	III.	Andante
6:05	IV.	Allegro giocoso
	V.	Allegro impetuoso ed appassionato

Duration: 37 minutes (approximately)

Composed: 1911 (age 23-24)

glossary

allegro [I]—fast, lively tempo. From the Italian word for cheerful or gay.
andante [I]—moderately slow tempo (e.g. walking). Faster than adagio but slower than allegretto
appassionato, passionato, passionné [F], avec passion, passionnément—passionate; ardent
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
ed [It]—and
frei [G]—free
giocoso, giocando, con gioco, giojoso—humorous, jocose, merry joking
impetuoso [I], con impeto, con impetuo—impetuous, vehement, boisterous
langsam [G]—slow
lebhaft [G]—lively, animated
nicht—not
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
quasi—almost, almost like, as if
schleppen [G], schleppend—drag, retard, slow down
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.
Vortrag [G]—recital, lecture, performance, diction, elocution