Charles Loeffler - Music for Four Stringed Instruments

Composer: Charles Martin Tornov Loeffler (30 January 1861 -- 19 May 1935) Performers: Kohon Quartet Year of recording: 1969 Music for Four Stringed Instruments (for string quartet), written in 1917. 00:00 - I. Poco adagio 08:42 - II. Le Saint Jour de Pâques (Easter Sunday) 17:30 - III. Moderato American (but German-born) composer and violinist Loeffler’s best-known work for string ensemble is his Music for Four Stringed Instruments, composed in memory of Victor Chapman, the first American aviator to be killed in World War I. Chapman’s father was a friend of Loeffler’s and sent the composer a published volume of Victor’s wartime letters. In creating his musical memorial to the fallen pilot Loeffler turned to the plainchant of the early Christian church, specifically to chants of resurrection and redemption. The work is unified by the use of the Introit of the Mass for Easter, Resurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum (I have risen, and am still with you), in all three movements. This melodic material is introduced by the cellist as the opening of the first movement and later serves as the main theme for the faster portion of the movement, written in sonata form. The second movement, which has the title Le Saint Jour de Pâques, or Easter Sunday, uses the Sequence from the Mass for Easter, Victimae paschali laudes (Praise to the Paschal Victim). The final movement, originally written as a tone poem depicting the French countryside, employs the Antiphon In paradisium deducant te Angeli (May Angels lead you into Paradise), from the Burial Service for the Dead. Loeffler completed the work in 1917, but the première was not given until 15th February 1919, by the Flonzaley Quartet in a concert at Aeolian Hall in New York City. Loeffler extensively revised the Music for Four Stringed Instruments over the next few years, allowing it to be published in 1923. The work is skilfully written for the strings and exploits Loeffler’s knowledge of the instruments’ capabilities. The second movement is of special interest owing to Loeffler’s demands upon the cellist. The player must tune the C string down to A for a portion of the piece, but after bringing it back to standard pitch, must again tune down to a B flat and then A, while playing. The final chord of the piece calls for the cellist to lower the C string a minor sixth to E, again while playing on that string. The score reads: "Dedicated to the Memory of Victor Chapman".