It is frankly little short of a miracle that the name of Carl FrÃ¼hling is still remembered today, since we know next to nothing about him. Scant biographical notes provide a few reference points rather than an orderly rÃ©sumÃ© of his life, and a mere handful of the hundred or more works he is thought to have composed is extant today. The main reason for his relegation to oblivion is a fact that FrÃ¼hling kept secret; a fact that nevertheless had to be declared on official documents: he was Jewish. Even before the Nazis took power his religion had caused him problems, making it difficult for him to pursue a career as a composer. As a result, FrÃ¼hling understandably tried to conceal his religious adherence. In 1907 he converted to Protestantism and in his CV of 1929 he stated that he was born in Vienna. The truth is however that he actually came from Lviv (the Germans called it Lemberg, and today, the city is in Ukraine), then a predominantly Jewish city, where he was born on November 28, 1868. FrÃ¼hling concluded his piano studies around 1889 and was awarded the Liszt Prize. He quickly established himself as a pianist, and was frequently in demand as a chamber musician. As a composer, however, FrÃ¼hling found it difficult to make his mark. Initially, he tried to make a name with easy-listening piano works; he wrote virtuoso salon compositions such as concert waltzes, mazurkas and later, fantasias on tunes from popular operas. Although they were meant to be popular works that would sell well, they nevertheless evince a sense of proportion and cleverly thought-out pianistic writing, and are marked by humor and imagination.

Tracklist:

Piano Quintet in F sharp minor Op. 30~Allegro molto agitato ed appassionato
Piano Quintet in F sharp minor Op. 30~Andante cantabile
Piano Quintet in F sharp minor Op. 30~Scherzo. Allegretto grazioso
Piano Quintet in F sharp minor Op. 30~Finale. Allegro vivace
Piano Quartet in D major Op. 35~Allegro moderato
Piano Quartet in D major Op. 35~Scherzo. Quasi Presto - Trio. Moderato
Piano Quartet in D major Op. 35~Larghetto
Piano Quartet in D major Op. 35~Finale. Vivace

UPC: 881488210620
Label: Profil - G Haenssler
Release Date: 3.4.22
Format: CD

Fruhling / Triendl / Mijnders - Piano Quintet 30 (CD)