Scores & Links
IMSLP (score)
William Shield (1748-1829)
Nationality:
English
Born: March 5, 1748, Swalwell Died: January 25, 1829, London (age 80)
String Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 3, No. 1
(for 2 violins, viola and cello)
| 2:29 | I. | Air con variazione. Andante | |
| 3:02 | II. | Fuga. Allegro con spirito | |
| 2:55 | III. | Rondeau. Allegro |
Duration: 9 minutes (approximately)
Published:
c. 1782 (age 33-34)
1 recording,
3 videos
autoopen
autoplay
2:29
The Dorrit Ensemble
I.
Air con variazione. Andante
3:02
The Dorrit Ensemble
II.
Fuga. Allegro con spirito
2:55
The Dorrit Ensemble
III.
Rondeau. Allegro
glossary
- 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.
- andante [I]—moderately slow tempo (e.g. walking). Faster than adagio but slower than allegretto
- 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
- fugue, fuga, fuge [G], fuguette, fugen [G,pl]—a contrapuntal procedure (form) involving a musical subject (theme) that is successively imitated by multiple overlapping voices. There is a vast canon of rules (concepts) for creating elaborate and diverse fugues with an infinite variety of character based on fairly specific parameters. Fugues (or partial fugato) are found throughout classical music from the late Renaissance to the present.
- 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
- rondeau, rondeaux—An early Baroque instrumental form featuring a recurring refrain interspersed with contrasting couplets or episodes. Eventually transformed into the Rondo of the classical period.
- spirito, con spirito, spiritoso, spirituoso—Spirited, lively
- 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."