Looking towards Germany

George Onslow composed no fewer than thirty-four string quintets, and was celebrated in his day for his fine academic style, his abilities as a harmonist, and the accomplished nature of his compositional skills. He took a path that was unfamiliar to most of his French contemporaries; indeed, he followed the Germanic tradition. In 1830 Camille Pleyel referred to him as the ‘French Beethoven’. Most of his string quintets were scored for a standard string quartet plus an extra cello, and soon others followed suit. Not least among them was Franz Schubert, with his Quintet in C major D. 956. Later, Théodore Gouvy also included two cellos in the six string quintets he composed between 1869 and 1880, but by then German influence had become unacceptable.

Concert followed by a cocktail.