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Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Kuijken String Quartet

Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853)

Price: € 17.95
Format: CD
Label: Challenge Classics
UPC: 0608917285420
Catnr: CC 72854
Release date: 26 March 2021
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Label
Challenge Classics
UPC
0608917285420
Catalogue number
CC 72854
Release date
26 March 2021

"The Kuijken’s performance is transparent, articulate, warm of tone, and stylistically expert, and is complemented by clear and open recorded sound. This is an offbeat disc which I recommend to lovers of string chamber music. "

Fanfare magazine, 01-3-2022
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About the album

Transcriptions for string quartet by the composer or someone else was common practice in Mozarts time. In that light this string-version of Mozart's Requiem is nothing special. What makes it special, is the circumstance of the original Requiem itself. It is known that Mozart left the majority of the work incompleted, and that on request of Mozart's widow, his pupil Süssmayer did the finishing job. Where one's work ends and the other's starts, no-one knows. This 'skeleton-version' of the Requiem, however, fully preserves the eloquence of Mozart's music and therefore perhaps proves that the Requiem contains more of the masters own composing than we can objectively establish. But incomplete as the Requiem is, Mozart's universal genius radiates through the notes in any version. And if anyone can bring the radiation to the surface in this version, no one better than the Kuijken Kwartet.
Het 'geraamte' van het Requiem, met zijn volledige zeggingskracht
In deze opname hoort u het Requiem van Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in een door Peter Lichtenthal bewerkte versie voor strijkkwartet. Het Kuijken String Quartet maakt er een onvolprezen uitvoering van.

Over het ontstaan van het laatste onvoltooide werk het Requiem van Mozart, doen geromantiseerde verhalen de ronde. Die geschiedenis helemaal uitleggen voert hier te ver, maar een tipje van de sluier kunnen we wel oplichten. Aan het begin van zijn laatste levensjaar 1791 kreeg Mozart via een boodschapper een anonieme brief met het verzoek een requiem te schrijven. Geld speelde geen rol, maar de mis moest na oplevering exclusief eigendom worden van de opdrachtgever. Mozart mocht geen pogingen doen om zijn identiteit te achterhalen.

Nu stond ene Graaf Walsegg er indertijd om bekend, dat hij graag pronkte met andermans veren. Hij kocht regelmatig het eigendomsrecht van composities, kopieerde de partituren, zette zijn naam eronder en liet de muziek onder zijn naam uitvoeren. Natuurlijk was hij de anonieme opdrachtgever. Met het requiem wilde de graaf zijn jong overleden vrouw eren. Mozart accepteerde de opdracht, maar was eigenlijk te druk. Onder andere met de opera die hij voor de kroning van Keizer Leopold II moest schrijven. Pas in het najaar begon hij aan zijn Requiem, in de hoop het stuk in 1792 op te leveren. Het lot beschikte anders. De componist overleed na een kort ziekbed op 5 december 1791. Alleen het eerste deel, het Introïtus, van het requiem was in partituur opgeschreven. Verder had Mozart alleen nog zangstemmen en belangrijke instrumentale partijen gecomponeerd.

Constanze, de weduwe van Mozart, had grote geldzorgen en wilde dat het werk van haar man afgemaakt en opgeleverd zou worden. Zij benaderde diverse componisten, maar geen van allen slaagden erin het werk te voltooien. Op het laatst kreeg Mozarts leerling Franz Xaver Süssmayr het manuscript in handen. Hij kopieerde de partituur, vulde ontbrekende partijen aan, componeerde zelf onderdelen en gebruikte de, al door Mozart, geschreven muziek. Zo kreeg het Requiem zijn uiteindelijke gedaante. Een kopie ging naar een uitgever en Graaf Walsegg kreeg het origineel van Süssmayr, wiens handschrift erg leek op dat van Mozart. Graaf Walsegg schreef 'zijn' requiem direct over en liet er partijen van maken. Bij gebrek aan musici kon hij het pas in 1793 laten uitvoeren, waarbij hij beweerde dat het zijn eigen compositie was. De musici wisten wel beter.

Mozart werd na zijn dood niet vergeten. Verschillende musici waren fervente pleitbezorgers van zijn werk. Waaronder de arts Peter Lichtenthal, tevens musicoloog en componist. Hij raakte bevriend met Carl Thomas, de zoon van Mozart. Zo kreeg kreeg hij uit de eerste hand, feiten uit het leven van Mozart te horen, die hij verwerkte in zijn Mozart-biografie. Lichtenthal bewerkte verschillende muziekstukken van de componist, zoals die voor het strijkkwartet van het Requiem. In die tijd was het niet ongewoon dat grote symfonische composities bewerkt werden voor kamermuziek, zodat ze ook in huiselijke kring uitgevoerd konden worden.

Sigiswald Kuijken stelt op grond van onderzoek dat het uitgangspunt van Lichtenthals bewerking van het Requiem de voltooide versie van Süssmayr moet zijn geweest, die hij waarschijnlijk via Carl Thomas Mozart in handen kreeg. Kuijken denkt ook dat Süssmayr over instructies van Mozart moet hebben beschikt. De versie voor strijkkwartet geeft feitelijk niet meer dan het ‘geraamte’ van de muziek weer. Toch blijft de zeggingskracht van Mozarts muziek geheel behouden. Misschien het bewijs dat het Requiem meer muziek van Mozart bevat, dan we objectief kunnen vaststellen. Hoe onvoltooid het werk ook is, Mozarts grootsheid schittert altijd door de noten heen. En als één ensemble deze genialiteit aan de oppervlakte kan brengen, dan is het wel het Kuijken String Quartet!
Transkriptionen für Streichquartette durch den Komponisten oder einen Dritten waren zu Mozarts Zeiten durchaus üblich. So gesehen ist diese Streicherversion von Mozarts Requiem nichts Besonderes. Was sie besonders macht, ist der Umstand des originalen Requiems selbst.
Es ist bekannt, dass Mozart den größten Teil des Werkes unvollendet ließ, und dass auf Wunsch von Mozarts Witwe sein Schüler Süssmayer die Fertigstellung übernahm. Wo die Arbeit des einen endet und die des anderen beginnt, weiß niemand. Diese "Skelettversion" des Requiems bewahrt jedoch vollständig die Eloquenz von Mozarts Musik und beweist daher vielleicht, dass das Requiem mehr von der eigenen Komposition des Meisters enthält, als wir objektiv feststellen können.

Aber so unvollständig das Requiem auch ist, Mozarts universelles Genie strahlt in jeder Version durch die Noten hindurch. Und wenn jemand diese Leuchtkraft in dieser Version an die Oberfläche bringen kann, dann niemand besser als das Kuijken Kwartet.

Artist(s)

Sigiswald Kuijken

Sigiswald Kuijken was born in 1944 close to Brussels. He studied violin at the conservatories of Bruges and Brussels, completing his studies at the latter institution with Maurice Raskin in 1964. He came into contact with early music at a very young age, together with his brother Wieland. Studying on his own, he gained a thorough knowledge of specific 17th- and 18th-century performance techniques and conventions of interpretation on violin and viola da gamba. This led to the introduction, in 1969, of a more authentic way of playing the violin, whereby the instrument was no longer held under the chin, but lay freely on the shoulder;  this was to have a crucial influence on the approach to the violin repertoire...
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Sigiswald Kuijken was born in 1944 close to Brussels. He studied violin at the conservatories of Bruges and Brussels, completing his studies at the latter institution with Maurice Raskin in 1964. He came into contact with early music at a very young age, together with his brother Wieland. Studying on his own, he gained a thorough knowledge of specific 17th- and 18th-century performance techniques and conventions of interpretation on violin and viola da gamba. This led to the introduction, in 1969, of a more authentic way of playing the violin, whereby the instrument was no longer held under the chin, but lay freely on the shoulder; this was to have a crucial influence on the approach to the violin repertoire and was consequently adopted by many players starting in the early 1970s.
From 1964 to 1972, Sigiswald Kuijken was a member of the Brussels-based Alarius Ensemble (with Wieland Kuijken, Robert Kohnen and Janine Rubinlicht), which performed throughout Europe and in the United States. He subsequently undertook individual chamber music projects with a number of Baroque music specialists, chief among which were his brothers Wieland and Barthold and Robert Kohnen, as well as Gustav Leonhardt, Frans Brüggen, Anner Bylsma and René Jacobs.
In 1972, with the encouragement of Deutsche Harmonia Mundi and Gustav Leonhardt, he founded the Baroque orchestra La Petite Bande, which since then has given innumerable concerts throughout Europe, Australia, South America, China and Japan, and has made many recordings for a number of labels (including Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Seon, Virgin, Accent, Denon, Hyperion and Challenge.
In 1986 he founded the Kuijken String Quartet (with François Fernandez, Marleen Thiers and Wieland Kuijken), which specialises in the quartets and quintets of the Classical period. Recordings of quartets and quintets by Mozart and Haydn have appeared on Denon and Challenge.
Since 1998 Sigiswald Kuijken occasionally brings together two generations Kuijken (his daughters Veronica and Sara and his brother Wieland) to perform string quartets of later periods (Debussy, Schumann, Beethoven, Schubert) often combined with Lieder by Marie Kuijken, soprano and also daughter of Sigiswald, and Veronica Kuijken, piano. Recordings of the two generations have been made for Arcana and Challenge Records.
In 2004 Sigiswald Kuijken reintroduced in practical performance the violoncello da spalla (shoulder cello) very probably the instrument Bach had in mind when writing his six suites for violoncello solo.
From 1971 to 1996, Sigiswald Kuijken taught Baroque violin at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague and from 1993 to 2009 at the Koninklijk Muziekconservatorium in Brussels.
For many years he was a guest teacher at institutions such as the Royal College of Music in London, Salamanca University, the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, the Conservatoire of Geneva and the Musikhochschule of Leipzig. Since 1998, Sigiswald Kuijken occasionally conducts “modern” symphonic orchestras in romantic programs ( Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms, Mendelssohn).

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Wieland Kuijken

Wieland Kuijken (1938) obtained a Higher Certificate in cello at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in 1959. Taught himself to play viola da gamba and 17th and 18th century performance practice. Performed avantgarde music until the late seventies. He often worked together with his two brothers Barthold and Sigiswald and harpsichordist Robert Kohnen. He is much sought after as a teacher and as a cellist known for his interpretation of Bach's solo suites. He also occasionally works as a conductor.
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Wieland Kuijken (1938) obtained a Higher Certificate in cello at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in 1959. Taught himself to play viola da gamba and 17th and 18th century performance practice. Performed avantgarde music until the late seventies. He often worked together with his two brothers Barthold and Sigiswald and harpsichordist Robert Kohnen. He is much sought after as a teacher and as a cellist known for his interpretation of Bach's solo suites. He also occasionally works as a conductor.

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Kuijken String Quartet

In 1986 the Kuijken String Quartet was founded by early music specialist Sigiswald Kuijken, with François Fernandez, Marleen Thiers and his brother Wieland Kuijken. The ensemble specializes in the quartets and quintets of the Classical period, and is renowned for its important contribution to authentic playing of stringed instruments, especially in works of Haydn and Mozart. The quartet has made numerous acclaimed recordings and toured Europe and North America. Since 1998 Sigiswald Kuijken occasionally brings together two generations Kuijken (his daughters Veronica and Sara and his brother Wieland) to perform string quartets of later periods, such as those by Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann and Debussy. This quartet is also known as the Kuijken String Quartet.
more
In 1986 the Kuijken String Quartet was founded by early music specialist Sigiswald Kuijken, with François Fernandez, Marleen Thiers and his brother Wieland Kuijken. The ensemble specializes in the quartets and quintets of the Classical period, and is renowned for its important contribution to authentic playing of stringed instruments, especially in works of Haydn and Mozart. The quartet has made numerous acclaimed recordings and toured Europe and North America.
Since 1998 Sigiswald Kuijken occasionally brings together two generations Kuijken (his daughters Veronica and Sara and his brother Wieland) to perform string quartets of later periods, such as those by Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann and Debussy. This quartet is also known as the Kuijken String Quartet.

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Marleen Thiers

Marleen Thiers (1945) studied with Arthur Grumiaux and Maurice Raskin at the Conservatory of Brussels. Just like her husband, Sigiswald Kuijken, she immediately showed a special penchant for period instruments and performance practice. She plays first viola in La Petite Bande and is a cofounder and viola player with the Two Generations Kuijken.
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Marleen Thiers (1945) studied with Arthur Grumiaux and Maurice Raskin at the Conservatory of Brussels. Just like her husband, Sigiswald Kuijken, she immediately showed a special penchant for period instruments and performance practice. She plays first viola in La Petite Bande and is a cofounder and viola player with the Two Generations Kuijken.

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Composer(s)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose actual name is Joannes Chrysotomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a composer, pianist, violinist and conductor from the classical period, born in Salzburg. Mozart was a child prodigy. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. Along with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven, Mozart is considered to be one of the most influential composers of all of music's history. Within the classical tradition, he was able to develop new musical concepts which left an everlasting impression on all the composers that came after him. Together with Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven he is part of the First Viennese School.  At 17, Mozart was engaged as...
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose actual name is Joannes Chrysotomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a composer, pianist, violinist and conductor from the classical period, born in Salzburg. Mozart was a child prodigy. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. Along with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven, Mozart is considered to be one of the most influential composers of all of music's history. Within the classical tradition, he was able to develop new musical concepts which left an everlasting impression on all the composers that came after him. Together with Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven he is part of the First Viennese School. At 17, Mozart was engaged as a musician at the Salzburg court, but grew restless and traveled in search of a better position. From 1763 he traveled with his family through all of Europe for three years and from 1769 he traveled to Italy and France with his father Leopold after which he took residence in Paris. On July 3rd, 1778, his mother passed away and after a short stay in Munich with the Weber family, his father urged him to return to Salzburg, where he was once again hired by the Bishop. While visiting Vienna in 1781, he was dismissed from his Salzburg position. He chose to stay in the capital, where he achieved fame but little financial security. During his final years in Vienna, he composed many of his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas, and portions of the Requiem, which was largely unfinished at the time of his death.


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Press

The Kuijken’s performance is transparent, articulate, warm of tone, and stylistically expert, and is complemented by clear and open recorded sound. This is an offbeat disc which I recommend to lovers of string chamber music. 
Fanfare magazine, 01-3-2022

Play album Play album
01.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Introitus: Requiem
04:34
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
02.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Kyrie
02:20
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
03.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Dies Irae
02:06
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
04.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Tuba mirum
02:47
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
05.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Rex tremendae
01:59
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
06.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Recordare
06:18
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
07.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Confutatis
02:27
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
08.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Lacrimosa
03:51
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
09.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Domine Jesu Christe
03:34
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
10.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Hostias
04:03
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
11.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Sanctus
01:28
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
12.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Benedictus
04:57
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
13.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Agnus Dei
03:05
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
14.
Requiem KV 626 - Version for string quartet by Peter Lichtenthal (1780-1853): Lux aeterna
05:08
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Kuijken String Quartet
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