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CPO

Julius Bittner: String Quartets 1 & 2

$18.99

Details

Composer
Julius Bittner
Artist
Thomas Christian Ensemble
Format
CD
Label
CPO
Released
Jan 16, 2026
Catalog #
555645-2
UPC
761203564521

About

A good year younger than Max Reger and five months older than Arnold Schonberg, Vienna's Julius Bittner (1874-1939) earned his livelihood as a lawyer for many years. Even before he gave up this profession in 1922, he was already one of the most frequently performed opera composers in Austria. In particular, his one-act opera Das hollisch Gold (Hellish Gold), which premiered in 1916, was highly acclaimed, and several of his instrumental works were also well received - even though (or perhaps because) he was anything but a "pioneer composer". His music was rooted in melody. He had broken free from Wagner's influence and became interested in folk music as exemplified by his two string quartets (1913 and 1917) with their "pastoral" flair. The former especially seems like the "Mahler of chamber music" in several passages, possibly a posthumous homage to his one-time supporter who guided Bittner's talent in the right direction.

Tracklist 8 tracks

  1. 1 I. Leicht bewegt 07:46
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Leicht bewegt
    Duration
    07:46
    Composer
    Julius Bittner
    Ensemble
    Thomas Christian Ensemble
  2. 2 II. Getragen, sehr ruhig 09:15
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Getragen, sehr ruhig
    Duration
    09:15
    Composer
    Julius Bittner
    Ensemble
    Thomas Christian Ensemble
  3. 3 III. Nicht zu rasch 06:25
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Nicht zu rasch
    Duration
    06:25
    Composer
    Julius Bittner
    Ensemble
    Thomas Christian Ensemble
  4. 4 IV. Rasch, lebhaft 06:34
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Rasch, lebhaft
    Duration
    06:34
    Composer
    Julius Bittner
    Ensemble
    Thomas Christian Ensemble
  5. 5 I. Leicht bewegt 09:04
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Leicht bewegt
    Duration
    09:04
    Composer
    Julius Bittner
    Ensemble
    Thomas Christian Ensemble
  6. 6 II. Sehr ruhig und gehalten 08:47
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Sehr ruhig und gehalten
    Duration
    08:47
    Composer
    Julius Bittner
    Ensemble
    Thomas Christian Ensemble
  7. 7 III. Gemütlich, nicht rasch 09:04
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Gemütlich, nicht rasch
    Duration
    09:04
    Composer
    Julius Bittner
    Ensemble
    Thomas Christian Ensemble
  8. 8 IV. Gemächlich 05:58
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Gemächlich
    Duration
    05:58
    Composer
    Julius Bittner
    Ensemble
    Thomas Christian Ensemble