Presents
Auguste de Sayve
String Quartet No.1 in g minor, Op.13 No.1
Auguste de Sayve (1790-1854) was born into a French noble family in Grenoble. A count, his full name was Auguste de la Croix de Chevrières, comte de Sayve. He took an early interest in music and became quite proficient on the piano as well as the violin. He then studied composition with Anton Reicha at the Paris Conservatory. Following this, he entered the French army and served as a cavalry officer in Napoleon’s campaigns of 1812-1814. He traveled extensively and wrote severalbooks recounting his travels, two of which became famous—Voyage en Sicile and Souvenirs De Pologne Et Scènes Militaires De La Campagne De 1812. If this were not enough, he was also an accomplished painter, with several of his paintings achieving prominence. Not a prolific composer, the bulk of which is chamber music and includes 2 piano trios, 2 piano quintets, one for strings and one for winds, three string quartets and four string quintets.
His String Quartet No.1 in g minor, Op.13 No.1 is the first of a set of three dating from 1830. The opening movement, Allegro con moto, features a recurring rhythmic figures that creates a sense of unrest. The second movement, Adagio non troppo, begins in stately fashion but then is interrupted by a turbulent, storm like interlude. Third comes a Menuet and trio, Moderato. In the finale, Presto, the sense of restlessness returns.
f three which he published. This was common practice because it was generally
We have reprinted 1830 edition, which to our knowledge is the one and only one ever made. As you might expect from a 200 year old piece of sheet music, it is like a modern edition but it is perfectly readable. This is a worthwhile quartet, not at all hard to play and would be interesting in performance as an example of how music was changing in France at this time.
Parts: $24.95
