Jens Peter Maintz, the cellist on this recording, plays the 'Ex-Servais' cello, which was made by Giovanni Grancino in 1697.
Performer Biography
The Minguet Quartet, founded in 1988, is named after Pablo Minguet, an 18th-century Spanish philosopher who aimed to make fine arts accessible to everyone.
Historical Context
In 1938, a government decree forbade the public performance of music by Jewish composers, which severely limited Walter Braunfels's artistic work.
Composition History
The string chamber music on this recording, including the String Quartets and String Quintet, was composed by Walter Braunfels during the harrowing last years of World War II and the initial postwar period.
Performer Biography
Jens Peter Maintz, the cellist joining the Minguet Quartet for the String Quintet, won first prize at the ARD International Music Competition in 1994, a prize not awarded to a cellist for 17 years prior.
Critical Reception
After 1945, Walter Braunfels's music was considered 'old-fashioned' due to its Classical-Romantic roots, clashing with the prevalent postmodern tendencies of the era.
Composer Biography
Walter Braunfels, a respected composer and pianist, was dismissed from all his posts in 1933 because he was half-Jewish, despite his previous merits.
