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First name: Leander
Last name: Schlegel
Dates: 1844-1913
Category: Quartet
Nationality: Dutch
Opus name: Opus 14 in C (1909)
Publisher: Merton
Peculiarities: https://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Quartet%2C_Op.14_(Schlegel%2C_Leander) Merton 4745; RCG
Information: Leander Schlegel was the third son of the renowned ornithologist Hermann Schlegel, director of the National Museum of Natural History in Leiden, who has also been active as correspondent for the music journal Caecilia. Sinologist Gustaaf Schlegel was on of Leander's brothers. As a violin pupil at the Leiden music school Leander Schlegel showed exceptional talent. He continued his studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, and subsequently (1861-1863) at the conservatory of Leipzig. After his studies he accepted an appointment as a violin teacher at the Leiden music school. Soon however he became internationally known as a piano soloist and accompanist, working with among other violinist August Wilhelmj. After years in Paris, Wiesbaden, Leipzig and Braunschweig, in 1871 he accepted the directorship of the choral society and music school of the Haarlem department of the Society for the Advancement of Music (Maatschappij tot Bevordering der Toonkunst). Since then Schlegel has been the key figure of Haarlem's musical life. Except as music school director and conductor he was active as a chamber music player. Though Schlegel has composed since childhood, it is in later years that he fully developed as a composer. His work was in high regard both nationally and internationally. In Berlin violinist Henri Marteau performed his Violin Concerto op. 33 (1908), Violin Sonata op. 34 (1910) and with the Marteau Quartet the String Quartet op. 35. In Vienna pianist Julius Epstein and critic Max Kalbeck promoted his work. The main body of Schlegel's oeuvre consists of short piano pieces, chamber music and songs. Though the influence of Schumann and Brahms is noticeable (Kalbeck called him the Haarlem Brahms), there is no lack of individuality. High points are considered the Piano Quartet op. 14 and the Deutsche Liebeslieder op. 20, a large-scale song cycle with interludes for piano solo. From: Nederlands Muziek Instituut