George W. Chadwick - String Quartet No. 3 (1886)

George Whitefield Chadwick (November 13, 1854 – April 4, 1931) was an American composer. Along with John Knowles Paine, Horatio Parker, Amy Beach, Arthur Foote, and Edward MacDowell, he was a representative composer of what is called the Second New England School of American composers of the late 19th century—the generation before Charles Ives. Chadwick's works are influenced by the Realist movement in the arts, characterized by a down-to-earth depiction of people's lives.

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String Quartet No. 3 in D major (1886, May 25)

I. Allegro di molto (0:00)
II. Tempo con variazioni (7:03)
III. Allegretto semplice (14:20)
IV. Finale. Allegro vivace (17:42)

The Portland String Quartet
rec. 1988 Northeastern Records – NR 235 CD

Chadwick wrote 5 String Quartets with No. 5 being, according to Edition Silvertrust, "one of the most important American string quartets written during the last part of the 19th century". Ed. Silvertrust published all except No. 3. In especially the 4th movement are some clear references to Dvorak and all in all it is a well crafted string quartet worthy to be heard!

George Chadwick, (1854-1931), for long known as the Dean of American Composers, received his first music lessons from his brother. Soon he advanced so quickly he was serving as organist for the local church. Eventually, Chadwick found his way to the famous Leipzig Conservatory where in 1877 he studied with Carl Reinecke and Salomon Jadassohn. Never regarded as an extraordinary talent, soon after entering the Conservatory, his progress and talent in composition astounded his teachers and everyone else. Several of his early works, written while there, won prizes and his name spread as far away as England. After graduating, he chose to further his studies by taking lessons privately with Joseph Rheinberger in Munich. He returned to Boston in 1880 and began a long career as a composer, conductor and teacher. Many important late 19th and early 20th century American composers were to study with him, including William Grant Still, Horatio Parker, Frederick Shepherd Converse and Arthur Farwell. Chadwick served as director of the New England Conservatory for 33 years.