Program Notes - October 7, 2008
Guarneri String Quartet
In Appreciation
This concert marks the final Cleveland appearance of the Guarneri Quartet, which will disband at the end of this season. Formed in 1964, the Guarneri is remarkable for the consistent excellence of its playing over these 44 years, and also because during that time it had only one change of personnel (Peter Wiley became its cellist in 2000, replacing David Soyer).
Their many Cleveland appearances for the Society and elsewhere have immeasurably enriched the lives and musical understanding of this city’s audiences. The Cleveland Chamber Music Society thanks this splendid ensemble for the musical riches it has bestowed on us, and wishes its members well in their individual futures.
String Quartet in E Flat Major, op. 127
Ludwig van Beethoven
This is the earliest of Beethoven’s “late period” string quartets. Written in 1824 and 1825, it came about 15 years after its immediate predecessor, the opus 95 quartet.
This is a large-scale work, whose most striking feature is its slow movement, a long and philosophically beautiful theme and variations that exists on the same exalted level as the slow movements of the late piano sonatas and the ninth symphony.
The first movement begins with a series of majestic chords that firmly set the key of E flat and return twice during the movement at crucial spots. The main body of the movement is basically cheerful with strongly marked rhythmic accents and occasional bursts of Beethovenish vigor.
The slow movement is incomparably beautiful as it unfolds wonderfully detailed variations on the lyrical theme presented at its beginning. One cheerful and almost dancelike variation about a third of the way through is followed by a slow, thoughtful variation that prominently displays the cello part. Toward the end the variations grow more elaborate and the texture thicker, but the close is quiet.
The scherzo’s main section is jaunty and highly rhythmic, but there is sudden contrast with its scampering, animated trio section. The dotted rhythm of the opening soon returns and dominates the movement, with only a single fleeting recall of the trio theme before the close. The last movement (for which Beethoven unaccountably provided no tempo indication beyond the word “finale”) is generally cheerful. One unusual feature is its conclusion, in which several of its earlier ideas are recalled, leaving the listener puzzled almost to the very end over exactly how Beethoven wishes to bring his work to a close.
String Quartet in A minor, op. 132
Ludwig van Beethoven
This five-movement work dating from 1825 reflects Beethoven’s state of mind after he had passed through a serious illness. Its centerpiece is the remarkable Heiliger Dankgesang, a hymnlike prayer of thanksgiving for his recovery.
The first movement begins with a slow and solemn introduction which sounds remarkably like the famous Grosse Fuge which Beethoven was to write later for another string quartet. This rather foreboding motive recurs twice during the succeeding allegro. The basic mood of the movement is one of quiet pleasure with an undertone of nervous energy.
The second movement presents a graceful lilting tune featuring a six-note melodic phrase that furnishes the main developmental material for the whole movement. In the middle section the texture thins out and we hear a graceful violin melody over a steady rhythmic pulse. The structure is rounded off by a return of the opening section.
Then comes the extraordinary “Hymn of Thanksgiving,” a long and reverent meditation featuring slow-moving harmonic progressions. There are contrasting episodes, including one marked “feeling new strength” that occurs twice, but a quasi-religious feeling pervades the whole movement, which is the longest in any Beethoven quartet except for the Grosse Fuge itself. The music reaches a confident affirmation before closing in utter serenity. The third movement begins as a jaunty march – but this is interrupted by a dramatic recitative in which the first violin declaims operatically over a tremolo from the other players. This leads directly to the finale, a restless agitated song that gives off a feeling of subsurface nervousness. A sudden accellerando leads to the forceful conclusion.
Program Notes by Robert Finn