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Ignaz Pleyel:
3 Quintets, op. 18 (Benton 280-2)
ed. Michael Elphinstone
Edition HH, hh518.fsp, Launton, 2021
(pbk, £48)
www.editionhh.co.uk
These attractive quintets are here published for the first time in a modern edition edited by Michael Elphinstone. The editor has painstakingly consulted 3 early editions of the works by Bossier, Schmidt/Haueisen and Andre to produce this exemplary edition of these relatively unknown works. Due to many discrepancies in the source material many decisions have had to be made as to how to deal with articulations &c due to the autograph being no longer extant. The editor has made his conclusions clear in his introduction to the edition and has dealt well with the inevitable problems to produce a good working document.
Assumed to date from 1788 the works in question perhaps owe their raison d’etre to J.C. Bach’s publication in 1774 of six quintets for the same combination of flute, oboe, violin, viola and bass.
The writing for the instruments here is very idiomatic in the case of the 4 higher parts but inevitably the bass parts are of a more simple straightforward quality doubtless derived from the old thorough bass role. The music is well crafted and will be a welcome addition to the mixed quintet repertoire, they could be most welcome for example in programmes dedicated to Mozart flute/oboe quartets where more inclusive pieces are required.
The edition is a most handsome one, with durable covers, large print, beautiful art-work and a most informative introduction both in English and German by the editor. Page turns on the whole have been well thought out with just the odd one needing a bit of sorting out – nothing that a pair of scissors cannot solve.
All in all, a most valuable addition to late-C18 chamber music repertoire: highly recommended.
We are grateful to the The Consort for permission to reproduce this review.
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Full score and parts