Cherry Valley Star Theatre: Artworks Concert Series
- August 7, 2022, 7:30 pm
- Star Theater, 44 Main St., Cherry Valley, NY
- Admission: $20 general public, $15 Glimmerglass staff
- Works by Mozart and Beethoven
The Fenimore String Quartet
- Ruotao Mao, violin
- Jennifer Myers, violin
- Amy Tompkins, viola
- Ruth Berry, cello
The Fenimore Quartet blends the experience of seasoned chamber players with the richness of long friendships to create a perfect backdrop for the exciting musical collaborations which are fast becoming an eagerly awaited summer treat at the Cherry Valley New York Artworks Concert Series and the surrounding area communities in beautiful upstate New York.
Program
| String Quartet in C Major, K.465 (“Dissonance”) I. Adagio – Allegro II. Andante cantabile III. Menuetto: Allegro IV. Allegro molto |
W. A. Mozart (1756-1791) |
| String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op.74 (“Harp”) I. Poco Adagio – Allegro II. Adagio III. Presto – Piu presto quasi prestissimo – Tempo primo – Piu presto quasi prestissimo – Tempo primo IV. Allegretto con Variazioni |
L. v. Beethoven (1770-1827) |
Mozart’s String Quartet in C Major is written in 1785 as a part of his six string quartet set dedicated to Joseph Haydn. Haydn (1732-1809), being considered “the father of string quartet”, praised these six quartets highly. It gained the nickname “Dissonance” due to the noticeably dissonant harmonic tension in the open Adagio. In particular, the very first note of the first violin, an A-natural, against the A-flat on the viola just prior to it (and then the same repeated in the next phrase a step lower).
Beethoven’s String Quartet in E-flat Major in 1809, during a period when he was seeking more innovative ideas and individuality in his composition(he just wrote the famous, now some considered as his trademark Fifth Symphony the year before). It gained the nickname “harp” due to the characteristic “pizzicato”(pluck the string) sections in the allegro part of the first movement, in which the arpeggiated pizzicato notes offer a reminiscent of the plucking of a harp.
The two masterpieces featured tonight were written 24 years apart. It is fascinating to see(and hear) what Beethoven had inherited and developed from the traditions set by Haydn and Mozart. It is also interesting to compare these two side by side:
First movement: Both works have a slow introduction which contains basic motives for the coming Allegro section. Both Allegro section feels like a relief from the tension built in the introduction section. Mozart ends the first movement softly after “tricking” us that it will end strongly. Beethoven did the opposite: when it about to end in pp(very quietly), he continues to ppp(extremely quietly) – also a “trick”, before building it to an explosive coda(ending section) full of energy and vitality where he combines the “harp” figure and the main theme.
Second movement: Even though Beethoven does not have “cantabile”(song-like) in the title, he marked “cantabile” in the beginning of the first violin line. In fact, the second movement of both works is a heart-felt song throughout.
Third movement: Mozart’s minuet-trio-minuet follows the more traditional route of a typical classical third movement of the quartet or symphony. Beethoven’s is more like a scherzo(a joke) and extended to scherzo-trio-scherzo-trio-scherzo, in which the last scherzo section is repeated mostly quietly and connects to the next movement without a break. Interestingly, Mozart uses C major for the main section and C minor for the trio section, Beethoven did the opposite: C minor for the scherzo section and C Major for the trio section.
Fourth movement: Mozart chose a playful rondo as the form and Beethoven chose a simple Theme and Variation form. Both are very traditional in writing. Noticeably, Beethoven’s second movement is also a rondo but with variations on the main theme each time it comes back(an innovation of combining the two forms). Opposite of the first movement, Mozart ends the fourth movement strongly after a brief quiet moment while Beethoven ends this movement with two quiet chords after a long build-up to ff (very loud),
Both works, as all masterpieces, reflect great qualities of life(more clearly with each movement respectively in the Beethoven): Vitality, Heart, Innovation and Simplicity.
(Program Notes by Ruotao Mao)
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