Nicolò Paganini

Nicolò Paganini (1782-1840)

Nationality: Italian
Born: October 27, 1782, Genoa Died: May 27, 1840, Nice (age 57)
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Quartet No. 5 in C major, Op. 5, No. 2, MS 32

(for guitar, violin, viola and cello)
I. Allegro
II. Minuetto. Allegretto
III. Larghetto. Cantabile
IV. Polacca. Quasi presto
Composed: 1806-1816 (age 23-34)
Published: 1820 (age 37-38)

glossary

  • allegretto—moderately quick tempo. slower than allegro but faster than andante
  • allegro [I]—fast, lively tempo. From the Italian word for cheerful or gay.
  • cantabile, cantate, cantando—singing, lyrical, flowing
  • 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
  • larghetto—slow, but a bit faster than largo
  • minuet, menuet [F], Menuett [G], menuetto [I], minuetto [I]—A graceful, courtly French dance of the Baroque and Classical period with a triple meter and a moderate tempo.It was introduced at the court of Louis XIV. In classical forms such as the symphony or chamber music, the minuet evolved into the more vigorous scherzo.
  • 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
  • Polonaise [F], Polonese [I], Polacca [I], Polaca, alla polacca, Polones—a dance of Polish origin in a moderate triple meter (3/4) typically with a characteristic rhythm (subdivisions of the beat with a flourish in the 2nd half of the 1st beat) and an energetic momentum.
  • presto—very fast, more so than allegro.
  • 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