Korngold's Second String Quartet was published in America instead of Germany because the Nazi Party had taken power the previous year.
Performer Biography
The Tippett Quartet, the performers on this album, have an impressive catalogue of recordings and have given numerous world and UK premieres, including a 'life-enhancing' recording of Penderecki Quartets.
Composer Biography
Korngold achieved international fame at just 23 with the dual premiere of his opera Die tote Stadt in Hamburg and Cologne.
Historical Context
Korngold's opera Das Wunder der Heliane was affected by the worsening political situation, and his last opera Die Kathrin was not performed in Vienna due to the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria by Germany.
Critical Reception
After World War II, Korngold's late-Romantic style found little favor in post-war Vienna, and his death in 1957 attracted only passing attention, though recent decades have seen a resurgence of interest in his work.
Cultural Impact
Korngold settled in Hollywood and composed lavish film scores like Captain Blood (1935) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), bringing his music to millions.
Composer Biography
Erich Wolfgang Korngold, the composer, was a child prodigy who impressed Gustav Mahler with his music at the age of nine.
