PROGRAM: SUNDAYS WITH THE ST. LAWRENCE

SUNDAY, JANUARY )$, $()- ! $:'( PM ! BING CONCERT HALL

ST. LAWRENCE STRING QUARTET

ARTISTS PROGRAM St. Lawrence String Quartet Antonín Dvořák: Bagatelles, op. 47, B. 79 (1878) Geo+ Nuttall, Allegretto scherzando Scott St. John, violin Tempo di minuetto: Grazioso Lesley Robertson, Allegretto scherzando Christopher Costanza, Canon: Andante con moto Jonathan Vinocour, viola Poco allegro Robert Huw Morgan, harmonium Bohuslav Martinů: String Quartet No. 5 (1938) Allegro ma non troppo Sundays with the St. Lawrence is presented in Adagio partnership with Music at Stanford and generously Allegro vivo supported by Paul and Iris Brest. Lento – Allegro

*INTERMISSION*

Antonín Dvořák: String Quintet in E-flat Major, op. 97, B.180 (1893) Allegro non tanto Allegro vivo Larghetto Allegro giusto

PROGRAM SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Please be considerate of others and turn o+ all phones, pagers, and watch alarms, and unwrap all lozenges prior to the performance. Photography and recording of any kind are not permitted. Thank you.

%" STANFORD LIVE MAGAZINE JANUARY-FEBRUARY ")!* PROGRAM: SUNDAYS WITH THE ST. LAWRENCE

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK #$%&$'$()&* May 1938 is widely regarded as ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK BAGATELLES, OP. -&, B. &* 0)%&%1 the finest. Like the quartet Intimate STRING QUINTET IN E#FLAT MAJOR, Letters that Janácˇek wrote a decade OP. *&, B. )%(, AMERICAN 0)%*'1 “I am now writing some small bagatelles earlier, Martinu˚’s Fifth Quartet for two and viola—just imagine! springs from a love affair and the Dvorˇák composed the most popular of This work gives me as much pleasure as accompanying intensity of expression. his 14 string quartets, the American, if I were composing a great symphony,” Long supported by his wife, Charlotte in the summer of 1893 in Spillville, Antonín Dvorˇák wrote to his publisher Quennehen, a Paris dressmaker, Iowa, a rural community of Czech in the spring of 1878. The Czech Martinu˚ was head-over-heels in love immigrants in Iowa. Three days after composer, impoverished until now, was with his student Víteˇzslava Kaprálová, completing it, on June 26, he began on a roll. A testimonial from Brahms had a gifted Moravian composer and work on the string quintet to be played begun to make the cash registers ring conductor 25 years his junior. today. He completed the score August for both composer and publisher. Later Martinu˚ withheld the original score 1, and it, too, is sometimes called the that year, a favorable review in Berlin for two decades, in part because of American. It is easy to overstate the for his Slavonic Dances led to what the the political turbulence of the times particularly American qualities of this writer of that review described as “a and in part because it contains what fine quintet, though, especially when positive assault on the sheet music shops his biographer Brian Large refers listening to the distinctive melody that in the course of a day”—this at a time to as “whimsical cartoons” and opens its first movement. Played on when the publication of printed music “intimate marginalia recording a Dvorˇák’s own instrument, the viola, functioned much as a CD release in our series of events, personal thoughts, it is rhapsodic and a little exotic in its own time. Within months, the Slavonic and incidents resulting from a coloring. It is based on the pentatonic Rhapsodies would be on Dvorˇák’s difference of opinion or quarrel scale (a five-note scale). Dvorˇák had drawing board, Vienna would be asking [Martinu˚] had had with Kaprálová already identified this (along with a few for a new symphony and string quartet, and from her sudden departure to other technical matters) as characteristic and he would be writing a concerto Monte Carlo.” While the published of Afro-American and Native Indian for Joachim, one of the great violinists score (1958) does not include these music when he was interviewed by the of the day. In the midst of preparing intimate details, the entire score is Chicago Tribune a few weeks earlier. existing works for publication, Dvorˇák colored by the affair. “Its contents But the pentatonic scale is also found spent the first 12 days of May 1878 are tragic, uncompromising, and in Bohemian music. So what can be writing five short bagatelles (malicˇkosti) harsh to the point of aggressiveness,” interpreted as Dvorˇák’s curiosity for for two violins, cello, and harmonium. Large concludes. “It is a work the new country could equally be The harmonium, a little foot-pedaled demanding much of the listener and explained as nostalgia for the old. And, reed organ, had been invented when the performer alike.” An uneasy G meanwhile, it forms the starting point for Dvorˇák was born and adds a gentle, minor underpins the entire quartet, an exhilarating, richly scored movement complementary resonance to the sound through the vigorous and turbulent which ranges widely over the emotional of the string instruments. Dvorˇák’s target opening theme of the first movement spectrum. The rhythmically dynamic audience was the amateur musician, and the ecstatic, high-soaring second second movement raises the temperature but his violin writing in particular calls theme. The brooding slow movement even more. Its contrasting middle section for a skilled player. The first of the five draws musical material from a song gives a beautifully yearning, soaring bagatelles includes the Czech folk tune titled “The Farewell Handkerchief” melody first to viola, then to violin. The “Hralydudy” (“The Pipes Are Playing”), that Kaprálová wrote in 1937. The slow movement begins with a melody and references to it add to the unity of third movement is a bitter, even that Dvorˇák wrote in New York for a these charming miniatures. sardonic scherzo that is driven new national anthem, setting the words unremittingly forward. The slow “My country, ’tis of thee.” Formally, the introduction to the finale appears to movement is a theme and five variations. BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ #$%()'$(,(* offer some consolation as it meditates The finale alternates a bouncy, good- STRING QUARTET NO. , 0)*'%1 on themes heard earlier. By the end natured theme with more inward-looking of this fastidiously crafted, deeply felt episodes in a thoroughly satisfying way. Of Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu˚’s quartet, however, the mood remains seven mature quartets, No. 5 from melancholy, tragic, and unresolved. —© 2014 Keith Horner

%# STANFORD LIVE MAGAZINE JANUARY-FEBRUARY ")!* ST. LAWRENCE STRING QUARTET association with Spoleto Festival Symphony and with the San Francisco The St. Lawrence String Quartet USA in Charleston, South Carolina. Symphony under Michael Tilson (SLSQ) has established itself among Thomas in Berlioz’s Harold in Italy the world-class chamber ensembles of Since 1998, the SLSQ has held the and Morton Feldman’s Rothko its generation. Its mission: bring every position of ensemble-in-residence at Chapel. His first solo album, featuring piece of music to the audience in vivid Stanford University. This residency works of Britten and Shostakovich, color, with pronounced communication includes working with music students was recorded with the support of the and teamwork and great respect to as well as extensive collaborations Holland America Music Society. the composer. Since winning both the with other faculty and departments Banff International String Quartet using music to explore myriad topics. Vinocour has been a regular participant Competition and Young Concert Recent collaborations have involved at the Marlboro Music Festival and has Artists International Auditions in 1992, the School of Medicine, the School toured extensively with Musicians from the quartet has delighted audiences of Education, and the Law School. Marlboro. He has also participated in with its spontaneous, passionate, and In addition to their appointment numerous other festivals, including the dynamic performances. Alex Ross at Stanford, the musicians of the Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival, of the New Yorker magazine writes, SLSQ are visiting artists-in-residence Open Chamber Music at Prussia Cove, “The St. Lawrence are remarkable not at Arizona State University. The the Bridgehampton Chamber Music simply for the quality of their music foursome’s passion for opening up Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, and making, exalted as it is, but for the joy musical arenas to players and listeners the Tanglewood Music Center. Vinocour they take in the act of connection.” alike is evident in its annual summer has been a guest of the Boston Chamber chamber music seminar at Stanford Music Society and International Sejong Whether playing Haydn or premiering and its many forays into the depths Soloists, and he has collaborated with a new work, the SLSQ has a rare ability of musical meaning with preeminent artists such as Paula Robison, Yefim to bring audiences to rapt attention. It music educator Robert Kapilow. Bronfman, Gilbert Kalish, Miriam reveals surprising nuances in familiar Fried, Yo-Yo Ma, Jaime Laredo, and repertoire and illuminates the works Violist Lesley Robertson is a founding members of the Amadeus, Arditti, of some of today’s most celebrated member of the group and hails Cleveland, Guarneri, Juilliard, Jupiter, composers, often all in the course of one from Edmonton, Alberta. Cellist Mendelssohn, and Orion string quartets. evening. has written two Christopher Costanza is from Utica, critically acclaimed works expressly for New York, and joined the quartet the quartet, including String Quartet in 2003. Violinists Geoff Nuttall ROBERT HUW MORGAN (2009) and (2012), which and Scott St. John both grew up Robert Huw Morgan is the university it premiered with the San Francisco in London, Ontario; Nuttall is a organist at Stanford University, a position Symphony in 2012. In 2011, the SLSQ founding member, and St. John he has held since 1999. A native of premiered Qohelet, a work by Osvaldo joined in 2006. According to concert Wales, he received his B.A. and M.A. Golijov, also composed for it. repertoire, the two alternate in the role from Cambridge University and in 1989 of first violin. All four members of the became a Fellow of the Royal College The SLSQ maintains a busy touring quartet live in and teach at Stanford. of Organists. Between 1985 and 1988, schedule. Some 2013–14 season he was an organ scholar at St. John’s highlights include visits to Vancouver, College, Cambridge University, where Princeton, Portland, Toronto, JONATHAN VINOCOUR his duties included playing the organ for Philadelphia, Ann Arbor, Palm Beach, Jonathan Vinocour joined the San the daily services in the College Chapel and Washington, D.C. The quartet also Francisco Symphony as principal violist and assisting the renowned choral will premiere a new work by George in 2009, having previously served as conductor George Guest in the direction Tsontakis in Carmel, California. It principal violist of the Saint Louis of the celebrated choir of boys and men. will perform Absolute Jest with the Symphony and guest principal violist In addition to his duties as university Toronto Symphony and on a European of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. organist, he also holds the positions of tour with the . lecturer in music, director of the Stanford During the summer season, the As a soloist, Jonathan Vinocour University Singers, and director of the SLSQ is proud to continue its long has appeared with the Saint Louis Stanford Memorial Church Choir.

encoreartsprograms.com %)