Leonard Salzedo (1921-2000) is one of the many British composers of the 20th century who built up a modest reputation in their own country with their moderately modern music, but went virtually unnoticed abroad. Salzedo was born in London and came from a Spanish Jewish (Sephardic) family. He successfully studied at the Royal College of Music and received awards for his violin playing and his
… compositions. His musical career encompassed many different aspects. For a long time he was the assistant to the famous conductor Thomas Beecham and later also performed regularly as a conductor. In addition, he mainly presented himself in the ballet world: he led various companies and wrote music for no fewer than seventeen ballets. On this CD the Archæus Quartet plays a selection from Salzedo's chamber music. It will be opened with the String Quartet No. 2, Op.3, completed in 1943, but revised several times in later years. The set-up has the regular four parts and the idiom is moderately modern: a free handling of tonality and a predominantly traditional treatment of the themes, which are 'processed' in a 19th-century way. Salzedo's latest works include the Sonata for violin and viola op.132, a piece belonging to the category of duos for two melody instruments, which is rare in the 20th century, including Prokofiev's Sonata for two violins. With his effective spelling, Salzedo prevents the sound image from becoming thin; more than once it is hard to imagine that only two instruments are playing. Finally, the String Quartet No. 7, Op.123 from 1969 will be featured. The subtitle is 'Cuatro voces Ladinos' and refers to the autobiographical background of this work, which was written on the occasion of the death of Salzedo's father. “Ladinos” is Spanish for Sephardic Jews and here the four quartet instruments are referred to as such voices. The musical preferences of Salzedo's father are depicted in particular in the third movement, where his favorite 'Kaddish' melody is played in the cello, according to directions in the score to be played with exaggerated feeling, just as Salzedo's father, a cellist himself, used to do. . Like many of his countrymen and contemporaries, Salzedo kept far from avant-garde extremes. So this is fairly conservative music, but written with craftsmanship and sometimes with a 'drive' that makes listening attractive. (JvG) that was written on the occasion of the death of Salzedo's father. “Ladinos” is Spanish for Sephardic Jews and here the four quartet instruments are referred to as such voices. The musical preferences of Salzedo's father are depicted in particular in the third movement, where his favorite 'Kaddish' melody is played in the cello, according to directions in the score to be played with exaggerated feeling, just as Salzedo's father, a cellist himself, used to do. . Like many of his countrymen and contemporaries, Salzedo kept far from avant-garde extremes. So this is fairly conservative music, but written with craftsmanship and sometimes with a 'drive' that makes listening attractive. (JvG) that was written on the occasion of the death of Salzedo's father. “Ladinos” is Spanish for Sephardic Jews and here the four quartet instruments are referred to as such voices. The musical preferences of Salzedo's father are depicted in particular in the third movement, where his favorite 'Kaddish' melody is played in the cello, according to directions in the score to be played with exaggerated feeling, just as Salzedo's father, a cellist himself, used to do. . Like many of his countrymen and contemporaries, Salzedo kept far from avant-garde extremes. So this is fairly conservative music, but written with craftsmanship and sometimes with a 'drive' that makes listening attractive. (JvG) “Ladinos” is Spanish for Sephardic Jews and here the four quartet instruments are referred to as such voices. The musical preferences of Salzedo's father are depicted in particular in the third movement, where his favorite 'Kaddish' melody is played in the cello, according to directions in the score to be played with exaggerated feeling, just as Salzedo's father, a cellist himself, used to do. . Like many of his countrymen and contemporaries, Salzedo kept far from avant-garde extremes. So this is fairly conservative music, but written with craftsmanship and sometimes with a 'drive' that makes listening attractive. (JvG) “Ladinos” is Spanish for Sephardic Jews and here the four quartet instruments are referred to as such voices. The musical preferences of Salzedo's father are depicted in particular in the third movement, where his favorite 'Kaddish' melody is played in the cello, according to directions in the score to be played with exaggerated feeling, just as Salzedo's father, a cellist himself, used to do. . Like many of his countrymen and contemporaries, Salzedo kept far from avant-garde extremes. So this is fairly conservative music, but written with craftsmanship and sometimes with a 'drive' that makes listening attractive. (JvG) to play with exaggerated feeling as directed in the score, just as Salzedo's father, himself a cellist, used to do. Like many of his countrymen and contemporaries, Salzedo kept far from avant-garde extremes. So this is fairly conservative music, but written with craftsmanship and sometimes with a 'drive' that makes listening attractive. (JvG) to play with exaggerated feeling as directed in the score, just as Salzedo's father, himself a cellist, used to do. Like many of his countrymen and contemporaries, Salzedo kept far from avant-garde extremes. So this is fairly conservative music, but written with craftsmanship and sometimes with a 'drive' that makes listening attractive. (JvG)more
