Scores & Links

Edition Silvertrust (score) John Hood's Reviews

featured on these lists

All Listed Works Edition Silvertrust John Hood String Quartet Reviews

Related works

String Quartets by Randall Thompson All Works by Randall Thompson American String Quartets 20th Century String Quartets

Related composers

American Composers 20th Century Composers
Randall Thompson

Randall Thompson (1899-1984)

Nationality: American
Born: April 21, 1899, New York Died: July 9, 1984, Cambridge, MA (age 85)
wikipedia | google | youtube

String Quartet No. 2 in G major

(for 2 violins, viola and cello)
3:00 I. Preludio. Allegro vivace
4:23 II. Air and Variations
7:36 III. Adagio
5:14 IV. Allegro con brio
Duration: 21 minutes (approximately)
Composed: 1967 (age 67-68)
Note: Composed to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the Harvard Musical Association
1 recording, 4 videos
autoopen autoplay
3:00
New Jefferson Chamber Players
I. Preludio. Allegro vivace
4:23
New Jefferson Chamber Players
II. Air and Variations
7:36
New Jefferson Chamber Players
III. Adagio
5:14
New Jefferson Chamber Players
IV. Allegro con brio
From Edition Silvertrust

Randall Thompson (1899-1984) was born in New York City and studied music at Harvard and the Eastman Conservatory. After graduating, he studied with Gian Francesco Malipiero in Italy before returning to the States to take up a number of teaching positions at Harvard, Virginia, and the Curtis Institute. Among his many students was Leonard Bernstein. He wrote in most genres but was best known for his choral works.

Thompson's Second String Quartet was composed to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the Harvard Musical Association in 1967. As such, it is a celebratory work. The lively opening movement, Prelude, Allegro vivace, is full of running passages in all the voices. The second movement, Air and Variations, is a very modern take on the old Baroque standby. Next comes a lyrical Adagio, using an American folk melody. The finale, Allegro con brio, is full of forward drive, making for a fitting conclusion.

A choice for American performing groups who would do well to program this quartet and certainly to take it with them on tours abroad as well. It can also be recommended to amateur quartet groups.

© Edition Silvertrust. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

glossary

  • adagio [It]—slow tempo, often implying a lyrical, poignant character
  • Air [Fr], Air [E], Ayre [E], Aire, Aria [I]—Song. Traditionally indicates a piece of melodic or vocal nature as opposed to one of dance-like character (i.e. in form or rhythm). An aria typically refers to a formalized song within an opera context for one or more voice
  • allegro [I]—fast, lively tempo. From the Italian word for cheerful or gay.
  • brio [I], con brio, brioso—vigor, vigorously, with fire
  • 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
  • prelude, prélude, präludium [G], präludien [G, pl], praeludium, preludio—a movement preceding another almost by way of introduction: to let listeners and players acclimate, often to prepare for greater demands ahead
  • 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], vonósnégyes [H]—ensemble or a work 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 | wiki
  • tema con variazioni, con variazioni, Tema e variazioni, theme and variations, Thema mit Variationen [G], Thème varié [F]—a common movement form featuring an initial theme followed by a series of variations on that theme, each of which adjusts any number of parameters to achieve variety, e.g. tempo, rhythm, key, instrumentation, etc.A challenge to the composers ingenuity and a delight for the listener
  • variation, variazione, variatio, variato, variata—a modified re-iteration of a previous theme, reprise, couplet, etc. The music is varied, embellished or creatively transformed for variety while maintaining a unity relationship with the original. See "Theme and Variations."
  • vivace—brisk, lively tempo faster than allegro