Vanhal: String Quartet in D Major, Op. 33, No. 4

Johann Baptist Vanhal (1739–1813) was one of the most prolific composers of the string quartet during the last third of the eighteenth century, with David Wyn Jones authenticating over fifty of the quartets that appeared under Vanhal’s name. The six quartets of opus 33, published in 1785, were among his late works in the genre.

String Quartet No. 4 in D Major opens with an Allegro in 3/8 labeled “alla tedesca” (in the German style), which also refers to the quick triple-time dance popular in the late eighteenth century, the deutscher Tanz. Next comes a minuet and trio that are titled “Arietta I” and “Arietta II,” respectively; the trio is notable for its canonic writing involving all four parts. The Adagio sostenuto that follows features a pensive minor-mode expression and intricate writing for the first violin. The finale is a rondo marked “alla inglese,” a reference to the popularity of this form in England; each of the three episodes highlights a different instrument, second violin, viola, and first violin in turn, while the cello provides a spirited accompaniment for the last statement of the rondo theme.

The present edition includes a short preface, statement of editorial methods, and critical notes and offers the quartet in a study score along with performance parts. It is based on the copy of the original Artaria parts held by The British Library, London.