Onslow, George. (1784–1853)
Quatuor[s] Op. 21, 46, 48, 49, 52, 53 - Collection of String Quartets
Leipsic: chez F. Kistner. ca. 1825. Collection of complete parts for 6 string quartets by the important French composer of English descent, whose chamber music was held in high esteem by Robert Schumann, believing that only Onslow and Mendelssohn approached Beethoven's mastery of the quartet form. As follows, the parts all disbound upright folio format, generally in fine condition, with some pagination written in red ink to upper right corners, scattered foxing throughout, a few sheets separating from the gatherings.Trois Quatuors pour Deux Violons, Alto et Violoncelle. Op. 21, no.5. Leipsic; Breitkopf & Härtel, [ca. 1825]. [PN] 3918c. Complete scores in four parts.
Trois Quatuors pour deux Violons, Alto & Basse. Op 46, no.2. Leipsic/Paris; F. Kistner/ E. Troupenas, [ca. 1833]. [PN] 1024. Complete scores in four parts.
Vingttroisième Quatuor pour deux Violon, Alto et Violoncelle. Op.48. Leipsic/Paris; F. Kistner/E. Troupenas, [ca. 1835]. [PN] 1058. Complete scores in four parts.
Vingtquatrième Quatuor pour deux Violon, Alto et Violoncelle. Op. 49. Leipsic/Paris; F. Kistner/E. Troupenas, [ca. 1835]. [PN] 1059. Complete scores in four parts.
Vingt-sixième Quatuor pour deux Violons, Alto & Violoncelle. Op.52. Paris; F. Kistner, [ca. 1835]. [PN] 1095. Complete scores in four parts.
Vingt-septième Quatuor pour deux Violons, Alto & Violoncelle. Op.53. Paris; F. Kistner, [ca. 1835]. [PN] 1096. Complete scores in four parts.
Esteemed by many of the critics of his time, Onslow was especially celebrated in Germany and England, but his reputation declined swiftly after his death and has only been revived in recent years. A student of Anton Reicha in Paris, his wealth, position and personal tastes allowed him to pursue a path unfamiliar to most of his French contemporaries, more similar to that of his contemporary German romantic composers. His principal output was chamber music (including 36 string quartets and 34 string quintets!) but he also wrote four symphonies and four operas. In 1825 in Paris he met the 16-year-old Felix Mendelssohn, who enjoyed a performance of one of Onslow's quartets and in 1831 Onslow was elected the second Honorary Fellow of the Philharmonic Society of London (Felix Mendelssohn had been the first). In 1834, Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt played Onslow's Grand Sonata for four hands Op. 22 at their debut joint performance in Paris and from 1835 to 1838 Onslow was the President of the Athenée musical in Paris, an association founded in 1829 "to propagate the study and the spirit of music", with the intention of bringing together both amateurs and professionals. (20000)
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