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Scan 18
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians, 1904
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1plates. This passed through three (or four) German editions, and was also published in French and Dutch. He left also a serenata, a few songs, music to twenty-two of Gellert's hymns, 'Neue Kirchenmelodien,' etc. (Berlin, 1760), and an autobiography (in Marpurg's Beiträge). Three of the Melodien are given by von Winterfeld, Evang. Kircheng. iii. 272. Besides the key which he added to the flute, he invented the sliding top for tuning the instrument. His playing, which was unusually correct for the imperfect instruments of the day, delighted not only Frederick, but Marpurg, a more fastidious critic. He married, not happily, in 1737; and died in easy circumstances and generally respected at Potsdam, July 12, 1773.
3All details regarding him may be found in Leben und Werken, etc., by his grandson Albert Quantz (Berlin, 1877). F. G.
5QUARENGHI, GUGLIELMO, violoncellist and composer, born at Casalmaggiore, Oct. 22, 1826, died at Milan, Feb. 4, 1882. He studied at the Milan Conservatoire, 1839-42, occupied the post of first violoncello at the Scala Theatre in 1850; became professor of his instrument at the Milan Conservatoire in 1851, and in 1879 Maestro di Cappella at the Milan Cathedral. As a composer he contributed an opera entitled 'Il di di Michel'; published in 1863 some church music and transcriptions, as well as an interesting method for the violoncello; a valuable treatise upon the origin of bow instruments precedes this Metodo di Violoncello (Milan, 1876), in which he compares the earliest forms with the various barbaric and semi-barbaric instruments previously in use amongst primitive nations. In addition the author gives the 'Personaggi' of Monteverde's 'Orfeo,' and the tuning of the earliest viols.—Riemann, Lexikon; Baker, Biog. Dict. of Music. E. H.-A.
7QUARLES, CHARLES, Mus.B., graduated at Cambridge in 1698. He was organist of Trinity College, Cambridge, from 1688 to 1709. He was appointed organist of York Minster, June 30, 1722; and died at York early in 1727. 'A Lesson' for the harpsichord by him was printed by Goodison about 1788. W. H. H.
9QUART-GEIGE. See VIOLIN.
10QUART-POSAUNE. See TROMBONE.
11QUARTERLY MUSICAL MAGAZINE AND REVIEW, conducted by R. M. BACON of Norwich. [See vol. i. p. 181; vol. iii. p. 680.] G.
13QUARTET (Fr. Quatuor; Ital. Quartetto). A composition for four solo instruments or voices.
15I. With regard to instrumental quartets the favourite combination has naturally been always that of two violins, viola, and violoncello, the chief representatives since the days of Monteverde of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass, in the orchestra: in fact, when 'quartet' only is spoken of, the 'string quartet' is generally understood; any other combination being more fully particularised; and it is to the string quartet we will turn our principal attention. The origin of the quartet was the invention of four-part harmony, but it was long before a composition for four instruments came to be regarded as a distinct and worthy means for the expression of musical ideas. Even the prolific J. S. Bach does not appear to have favoured this combination, though he wrote trios in plenty. With the symphony was born the string quartet as we now understand it—the symphony in miniature; and both were born of the same father, Haydn. [See FORM.]
17The early quartets of Haydn seem to us sadly feeble in the present day; there is not enough flesh to cover the skeleton, and the joints are terribly awkward; but there is the unmistakable infant quartet, and certainly not more clumsy and unpromising than the human infant. In the course of his long life and incessant practice in symphonic composition, Haydn made vast progress, so that the later quartets (op. 71, etc.) begin to show, in the lower parts, some of the boldness which had before been only allowed to the 1st violin. Eighty-three quartets of Haydn are catalogued and printed, while of the ninety-three of his contemporary Boccherini, scarcely one survives.
19Mozart, with his splendid genius for polyphony as well as melody, at once opened up a new world. In the set of six dedicated to Haydn we notice, besides the development in form, the development of the idea, which it has only been given to Beethoven fully to carry out—the making each part of equal interest and importance. Theoretically, in a perfect quartet, whether vocal or instrumental, there should be no 'principal part.' The six quartets just spoken of were so far in advance of their time as to be considered on all sides as 'hideous stuff.' In our time we find little that is startling in them, except, perhaps, the famous opening of No. 6, which will always sound harsh from the false relations in the second and fourth bars.
21Mozart's twenty-six quartets all live, the six dedicated to Haydn and the last three composed for the King of Prussia being immortal.
23Those writers whose quartets were simply the echo of Mozart's—such as Romberg, Onslow, Ries, and Fesca—made no advance in the treatment of the four instruments.
25It is not our province here to speak of the
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