It is always thrilling is it not to discover the work of a new composer. I personally can say this in the case of
František Kramář (sometimes known as Franz Krommer), who lived from 1759 to 1831, and of whose very existence I had until this week been ignorant.
The great quality of his music is its originality: it continually
defies one's expectations, and thus continually
retains one's conscious attention. Its style resembles Mozart's, but it is of a Mozart who lived on into the nineteenth century. It also - and this is very striking - resembles van Beethoven's; and indeed we are at every point prompted to ask, whether this or that way of doing something was invented by Kramář or by van Beethoven. I am really tempted to say, by the former; and that would constitute a great upheaval in the received history of musical ćsthetics would it not.
Do any Members know Kramář's work? He produced nine numbered symphonies, as well as two Pastoral Symphonies; thirty-five string quintettes, something like seventy-six string quartettes (always the great test), but just one pianoforte quartette that I can see, and - disappointingly - no pianoforte quintette.
What a kindly and at the same time intelligent face he had! An altogether pleasanter person than van Beethoven perhaps?
