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Frank Bridge "Miniatures" for Piano Trio

Submitted by Geoff Piper 1/23/04:

The star of FRANK BRIDGE rather declined as that of Benjamin Britten rose but that need not interest us here - except historically. Doubtless many of you know his pieces for QUARTET, which I have never played.

I recently amused myself with some of his "Miniatures" for PIANO TRIO, which date from just after the turn of the 19th/20th centuries. There are three sets, of which I know only numbers 7 "Valse russe", 8 "Hornpipe" and 9 "Marche militaire". This is unpretentious music, fairly easy for all three instruments, the titles conveying the mood accurately; I found them quite delightful. There is nothing unconventional to be found - the outer movements in b minor/ D major and the middle in G minor. The total playing time is only a few minutes - good encore stuff...

Publisher: Masters Music Publications Inc; Augener and Stainer & Bell.
Does anyone know numbers 1-6?


Felix Otto Dessoff String Quintet (two cellos)

Submitted by Geoff Piper 2/24/04:

A most useful addition to the desperately small literature after Boccherini of string quintets with two cellos is one in G major, opus 10, by Felix Otto Dessoff, whose dates are 1835 to 1892, which makes him an almost exact contemporary of Brahms. The two composers met three times and Brahms apparently had some very kind words to say about Dessoff in general and this quintet in particular.

It is indeed reminiscent of Brahms, without quite the rhythmic variety and melodic inventiveness perhaps. One critic describes Dessoff as "somewhere between Brahms and Schumann". The quintet is in four movements; two vigorous outer movements and a soulful Andante sostenuto; however, the third movement strikes me as the most successful - a wistful Allegretto grazioso in the minor, very much in the Brahmsian vein. The whole work is well crafted and has reasonably interesting parts for all players. It is of average difficulty.

Published by Merton Music.