It’s a tale of two Ludwigs, on this week’s “Music from Marlboro.”
For a time, Ludwig Spohr (1784-1859) – recognized everywhere, outside of his native Germany, as Louis (pronounced “Louie,” as in the French) – was as highly regarded as Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827).
A triple threat – a violinist, a conductor, and a composer – he churned out music in all genres. He wrote 9 symphonies, 10 operas, 15 violin concertos, 4 clarinet concertos, and 36 string quartets. Add to those, innumerable chamber works for all sorts of instrumental combinations, with a special emphasis on the harp – since the harp was the instrument of his wife, with whom he often appeared in concert.
Following his death, in 1859, Spohr’s reputation plummeted. It wasn’t until the late 20th century that his music underwent a significant revival.
Today, we’ll have chance to enjoy his Sextet for Strings in C major, Op. 140, a comparatively late work, but one imbued with a remarkably youthful spirit. A supporter of German unification, republicanism, and democratic causes, Spohr was inspired by the revolutions that swept across Europe in 1848.
From the 1980 Marlboro Music Festival, we’ll hear it performed by violinists Pina Carmirelli and Veronica Knittel, violists Philipp Naegele and Karen Dreyfus, and cellists Peter Wiley and Georg Faust.
A friend of Beethoven, Spohr participated in a memorable run-through of his colleague’s “Ghost” Trio, with the composer banging away at an out-of-tune piano. He also played in the premiere of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony.
By way of contrast, but also honoring their association, we’ll open the hour with Beethoven’s Octet for Winds in E-flat major, Op. 103, from 1792. Despite the high opus number, the work was actually written in the composer’s hometown of Bonn, prior to his move to Vienna.
We’ll hear it in a 1957 recording featuring Marlboro cofounder Marcel Moyse, as director of an ensemble made up of oboists Alfred Genovese and Earl Schuster, clarinetists Harold Wright and Richard Lesser, bassoonists Anthony Checchia and Roland Small, and hornists Myron Bloom and Richard Mackey.
Get ready to flip your wig for two Ludwigs, on this week’s “Music from Marlboro,” this Wednesday evening at 6:00 EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.
Marlboro School of Music and Festival: Official Page
When the cravat was king: Beethoven (left) and Louis Spohr