Hugo Kauder (1888-1972) was one of several Austro-Hungarian composers born in the last period of the Romantic movement, who, along with such men as Karl Weigl, Erich Korngold, Leo Weiner, and Zoltan Kodaly, rejected the atonalism of the Second Vienna School. Kauder was born in the Moravian town of Tobitschau and studied violin and composition in Vienna, where he pursued a career as a composer and performer in various string quartets. He emigrated to the United States after the Nazi's annexed Austria. His compositions are tonal and varied in approach and musical thought
String Quartet No.4 dates from 1927. It is in five movements. The opening movement, Con moto, has a restless pizzicato accompaniment. There is a vaguely Chinese quality to the music, at least as the West conceives it. The second movement, Lento, recalls archaic choral music. Next comes a lively scherzo, Molto vivace. It is followed by a lovely lament, Andante con moto. The finale, Allegro vivace, is a nervous affair, full of frenetic energy.
The parts and score are in what the Germans call 'handschrift', that is to say, they have been made by a professional copyist from the original manuscript.