Randall Thompson (1899-1984)

Nationality: American

Born: April 21, 1899, New York Died: July 9, 1984, Cambridge, MA (age 85)

wikipedia

String Quartet No. 1 in d minor

(for 2 violins, viola and cello)

Duration: 34 minutes (approximately)

Composed: 1938-1941 (age 38-42)

allegro [I]—fast, lively tempo. From the Italian word for cheerful or gay.
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
e [It]—and
lento, lent [F], lentement [F], avec lenteur [F]—slow (tempo)
ma—but, however
moderato [I], moderamente, modéré [F], modérément [F]—moderately, at a moderate tempo, applying a touch of restraint to its related word(s), e.g. allegro moderato
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.
tristo [I], triste [F], tristement, tristezza [I]—sad; sadly; sadness
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
vivace—brisk, lively tempo faster than allegro