Johann Baptist Cramer - Piano Quintet No. 3 in B flat major Op. 79 (1832)

Johann Baptist Cramer 

Johann (sometimes John) Baptist Cramer (24 February 1771 – 16 April 1858) was an English pianist, composer and music publisher of German origin. He was the son of Wilhelm Cramer, a famous London violinist and conductor, one of a numerous family who were identified with the progress of music during the 18th and 19th centuries.[고전주의 시대에서 낭만주의 시대로 넘어가는 전환기의 대표적인 피아니스트의 한 사람이며 런던의 음악출판사 크라머앤드컴패니의 설립자이기도 하다. 그의 아버지는 그를 데리고 1772년 영국으로 건너갔다. 그의 피아노 선생들 가운데는 저명한 피아니스트이자 작곡가인 무치오 클레멘티가 있었으며, 클레멘티 밑에서 크라머는 그에게 연주가로서의 명성을 유럽 전역에 떨치게 해준 특별한 능력을 개발했다.

부드러움과 명료함을 강조하는 그의 연주는 후기 낭만주의 피아니스트들의 화려한 연주와 비교할 때 절제된 면을 보여주었다. 아울러 그는 다작 작곡가였으며 그가 작곡한 피아노 연습곡들이 오늘날까지 기억되고 있다. 이들 곡은 그의 연주와 함께 베토벤에 의해 높이 평가되었다.]

 

Piano Quintet No. 3 in B flat major Op. 79 (1832)

for violin, viola, cello, double bass & piano.

1. Allegro moderato ma spiritoso 2. Adagio cantabile (8:38) 3. Rondo. Allegro (14:01)

Riko Fukuda, piano and the Nepomuk Fortepiano Quintet

 

First Performance: 1833-03-11 — London, Hanover Square Rooms François Cramer (violin), Johann Wilhelm Moralt (viola), Robert Lindley (cello), Domenico Dragonetti (double bass) and the composer (piano)

 

Cramer was one of the most renowned piano performers of his day. He met Beethoven in Vienna, initiating a mutually rewarding relationship, while renewing his friendship with Haydn. After 1800, he was based almost exclusively in England. Following the resoundingly successful example of his former teacher Clementi, he also became a successful music publisher in London. His many compositions take second place to his pianistic prowess; Beethoven considered him the finest pianist of the day from the standpoint of pure technical perfection. His musical instrument manufacturing and music publishing firm, Cramer & Co., was located at 201 Regent Street). His business partners were Thomas Frederick Beale and Robert Addison. He ended his personal involvement in the company at the end of 1833, although it retained his name. He wrote a number of sonatas and other pieces for piano, and other compositions, of which his Études are best known, having appeared in numerous editions. They are still considered standard didactic works for piano students. His music is generally less dramatic and elegant than Clementi's, much less adventurous than Dussek's and far less Romantic in sentiment than Chopin forerunner Field's. It is stylistically conservative but replete with the most advanced, idiomatically pianistic passage-work. He wrote some 200 solo piano sonatas, about 50 sonatas for other instruments with piano accompaniment, 9 piano concertos, and chamber music. His brother Franz Cramer was Master of the King's Musick from 1837 until his death in 1848.