[Op. 141]. 31stes Quartett [in C major] für 2 Violinen, Viola und Violoncell... 141stes Werk. Pr. 2 1/2 Thlr. [Parts]

Cassel: Carl Luckhardt [PN 129], 1849. Folio. Disbound. Violino I: [1] (title), 2-15, [i] (blank) pp.; Violino II: 13, [i] (blank) pp.; Viola: 13, [i] (blank) pp.; Violoncello: 11, [i] (blank) pp. Engraved.

Handstamp of Ludwig Doblinger (Bernhard Herzmansky) to foot of title of Violino I.

Two outer bifolia of Violino primo part detached and frayed at spine; tear to title leaf; other parts soiled and frayed at outer margin. First Edition. Göthel p. 238. WorldCat (2 copies in the U.S. only, at Harvard and Oberlin).

The present work is actually Spohr's 32nd (not 31st) quartet; Spohr inadvertently assigned the number 30 twice and never corrected the error. MGG2 counts the work as quartet no. 32; Grove Music Online does not number the quartets.

"The largest portion of Spohr's chamber music was for strings alone, ranging from 19 unsurpassed duos for two violins to four masterly, and largely unemulated, double string quartets. These, together with the 36 string quartets (and several other works for the same combination), seven string quintets and the String Sextet of 1848, display a number of common features. Spohr's own mastery of the violin is evident in all of them, and their technical difficulties, together with the particular style of performance necessary to secure their full effect, may partly explain their infrequent performance. The quartets, especially, fall into two distinct categories: solo quartets in the tradition of Rode (often entitled Quatuor brillant), which are essentially violin concertos with string trio accompaniment, and true quartets where the interest is more evenly divided between the instruments." Clive Brown in Grove Music Online.