Tesla Quartet: Nov. 10-11, 2019 C-1 (b. 1970) (1840-1893) Michael Ippolito Pavel Karmanov Ilyich Pyotr Victor Ewald (1860-1935) Victor Jāzeps Vītols (1863-1948) Anatoly Lyadov (1855-1914) Anatoly Lyadov Nikolay Sokolov (1859-1922) Felix Blumenfeld (1863-1931) Aleksandr Winkler (1865-1935) Aleksandr Scriabin (1872-1915) Aleksandr Glazunov (1865-1936) Nikolay Artsybushev (1858-1937) · cupresents.org · 303-492-8008 · cupresents.org Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) are strictly prohibited during the performance. prohibited strictly are Boulder is a smoke-free campus! Boulder is a smoke-free

I. Moderato e simplice II. Andante cantabile non tanto e con fuoco III. Scherzo. Allegro giusto Finale. Allegro IV.

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String Quartet No. 1, Op. 11 —Intermission— String Quartet No. 3 “Songlines” String quaREtet Fugato. Allegro Var.9. Finale. Allegro Var.10. Allegretto Var.6. Allegro Var.7. Andante cantabile Var.8. Var.3. Andantino Var.3. Allegro Var.4. Adagio Var.5. Theme. Adagio Allegretto Var.1. Allegretto Var.2. Program on a Russian Theme Variations Monday, Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m. Nov. Monday, 10, 4 p.m. Nov. Sunday, Tesla Quartet Tesla Tesla Quartet: Nov. 10-11, 2019 C-2 contributed by Rimsky-Korsakov, who’demployed lament about waitingforherlover. Thetunewas song, “Iamsotired ofthenights,”ayounggirl’s individual treatments ofahome-grown folk on aRussianTheme,this 12-minute pieceallowed some whowouldremain obscure. TitledVariations a workby10contributors—many soonfamous, In 1898,thisuniquecomposinglaboratoryheard polkas, etc. West: smallscherzos,minuets, sarabandes, content tostickwithstylesandgenres from the Most ofthecomposersnewworkswere combined food,drink,conversationandmusic. which stretched intotheweehoursofmorning, (the Fridays,inFrench), theselivelygatherings, written stringquartets.Knownas“LesVendredis” to provide andperform(orjustlistento)newly Friday eveningsathishome,invitinganyandall Balyayev beganhostinganunbroken seriesof “Scheherazade.” Whichbringsusto1891,when that anaudiencefirstheard Rimsky-Korsakov’s Symphony Concerts.Itwasatoneofthose a seriesoforchestral programs, theRussian , andinthesameyearestablished Leipzig-based publishingcompanyforRussian music-makers. In1885,hehadfoundeda support andunbridledencouragementtoyoung magnate anddecentviolistwhooffered financial Mitrofan Balyayev(1836-1903)wasalumber dedicated tothisnewwaveofnationalpride. as amuch-neededmagnetforallthosewhowere 1860s. Butitwasanunlikelyallywhowouldserve shared desire tocreate aRussiansoundinthe who feverishlyworked(anddrank)togetherina , CésarCuiandMilyBalakirev, Alexander Borodin, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, characterized theenergy andcommitmentof composers. Thatdesignatedmonikerplayfully later on,a“MightyHandful”ofself-taughtRussian efforts ofMikhailGlinkainthelate1830sand, Italian. Butthingswere changing, thankstothe Western Europe—even Italianopera,sungin orchestral workswere stillbeingimportedfrom Russian. Enteringthe1800s,chamberand It tookquiteawhileforRussianmusictosound Various composers Variations onaRussianTheme By Marc Shulgold Program notes · cupresents.org · 303-492-8008 and experimentationofthosevodka-fillednights the cravingforanationalsound.Theexcitement More importantwastheimpetusforthismusic— Anatoly Lyadov) andfugue(Var. 9byWinkler). Western formulas,includingacanon(Var. 5by . Someofthecontributionsstuckto segment hintingattheparticularstyleofits The Variations unfoldpleasantlyenough, each forstudiesandlatertaughtProkofiev. Alexander Winkler, whohadtraveledtoVienna and Rimsky’s, laterateacherofShostakovich;and Korsakov; NikolaySokolov, alsoastudentof and conductorwho’dstudiedwithRimsky- composer; FelixBlumenfeld,asuccessfulpianist ensembles; JāzepsVītols,arespected Latvian and acomposerspecializinginmusicforbrass a successfullawyer;Victor Ewald,acivilengineer contributors unfamiliartous:NikolayArtsybushev, published in1887.AmongtheVariations’ it inhis Karmanov is here influencedbythechurning pizzicato and ascendingchord andpassagesof patterns, tune, awaltz-likescenefeaturing descending moments, includingaRussian-flavored folk that 1-2-3,1-2-3motif.In betweenare engaging in pizzicatoandendswith theemphaticreturnof begins witharepeating three-note pulseplayed through aseriesoforganically linkedepisodes.It This isasingle-movementworkthatunfolds degree oftheDo-Re-Miscale). the D-majorchord (Drepresenting thesecond continual presence ofvariationsonthenotes odd spellinginthetitlecomesfrom thealmost no, that’s notamisprint—datesfrom 1997.The Vezhlivy Otkaz(PoliteRefusal).StringquaREtet— member oftheeclecticRussianavant-garde band Composers Unionin1996.For17years,hewasa andwasacceptedinthe studied attheTchaikovsky Conservatoryin composer androck musicianPavelKarmanov inBratsksouth-centralRussia1970, Born Pavel Karmanov(b.1970) String quaREtet were theyright. of theirhomelanddeservestobeheard. Andboy, chains andproclaiming totheworldthatmusic committed tobreaking free from Western Europe’s chamber masterpiecesbyagroup ofRussians at Balyayev’s homewouldleadtosymphonicand Concert FantasiaonTwo RussianThemes andsoftlyuttered harmonics. , Tesla Quartet: Nov. 10-11, 2019

C-3 Andante at a concert. Its touching at a concert. Its touching · cupresents.org · 303-492-8008 · cupresents.org Andante . It happens so often with instantly . It happens so often with instantly with a short phrase reminiscent of “The Volga of “The Volga with a short phrase reminiscent Simple, it returns to the major. Boatman,” before but unforgettable. other That said, Op. 11 does offer numerous starting with the opening movement’s pleasures, hymn, played in rich, six-part harmonies, whose nickname, “The the quartet’s sonority inspired with listeners. No surprise that they took particular took particular with listeners. No surprise that they the second movement, the from pleasure cantabile Prelude popular pieces (think of Rachmaninoff’s constantly in C-sharp minor): Smitten audiences to the demanding to hear that music again—often In this case, this private dismay of the composer. melancholy melody was soon transcribed lovely, nine re- for all manner of instruments (at least castings). even original. The the tune wasn’t Ironically, theme was a of the second movement’s source during by Tchaikovsky Ukrainian folk song, heard estate in 1869. The lyrics a visit to his sister’s sat on a couch and smoked a pipe began, “Vanya take long for the quartet, of tobacco.” It didn’t with its hit tune, to follow the composer wherever he went—not that he minded. He knew right start he’d written something special. In the from with recalling 1876, he made an entry in his diary, upon Leo Tolstoy from pride the tearful reaction hearing the opening in the major briefly falls into the minor seem fair that, in the winter of 1870-71, he he 1870-71, of in the winter fair that, seem friends food—but went without occasionally This was despite was the case. that such reported as a a pay raise received recently the fact he’d and Conservatory, at the Moscow faculty member of private students. a handful had accumulated his financial improve To enough. It just wasn’t composer described as situation (which the Nicolai conservatory director “utterly chaotic”), all-Tchaikovsky a profitable Rubinstein suggested for cost of hiring an orchestra concert. Since the take, cut into the evening’s the occasion would be a sampling of his chamber the agenda would listeners might knew that his works. Tchaikovsky How about a string fresh. also expect something not? quartet? Sure—why factors that the decidedly unromantic Those were most beloved chamber led to one of the world’s within a few weeks of the March works. Written connected 28 concert in 1871, Op. 11 instantly Tchaikovsky, real life was very hard. It doesn’t It doesn’t life was very hard. real Tchaikovsky, a dreamy world of artistic inspiration, fueled world of artistic inspiration, fueled a dreamy the cosmos, has little by melodic ideas from life. For connection to the banal demands of real String Quartet No. 1, Op. 11 (1840-1893) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky image of composers living in The romantic music as it traverses different landscapes.” music as it traverses different to the opening melody. “As in the Songlines of the “As in the Songlines of the to the opening melody. Aborigines,” the composer notes, “this (opening) song can be thought of as a map, guiding the spirit ancestors were guided by recited songs. songs. guided by recited spirit ancestors were then, the music in this quartet Appropriately each episode subtly linked carves its own journey, “giving each mountain, river, plant and animal its plant and animal its “giving each mountain, river, the sky,” name as they traversed the earth and composer writes. Rather than using maps, the Aborigines. Those paths, known as “Dreaming “Dreaming Aborigines. Those paths, known as said to be traveled or “Songlines,” were Tracks” creation, by the ancient spirits in their acts of 1986 book by British travel writer and storyteller storyteller 1986 book by British travel writer and the to refers Bruce Chatwin (1940-89). The title taken by the spirit ancestors of Australian routes of quiet introspection to explosions of unison to explosions of unison of quiet introspection the piece to the composer, anguish. According of “Songlines,” the his reading from emerged In a single 10-minute movement, the work ebbs work ebbs In a single 10-minute movement, the periods through and flows with a spontaneous feel prominently in his third string quartet, “Songlines,” string quartet, “Songlines,” in his third prominently as this year’s composed in 2012 and honored competition. Call for Scores winner of Tesla’s and colors of poems, paintings, literature, world world and colors of poems, paintings, literature, and the centuries-old traditions of cultures Those last two qualities figure improvisation. Michael Ippolito has been performed by numerous been performed by numerous Michael Ippolito has chamber ensembles. and American orchestras stories by the sounds, inspired His works are String Quartet No. 3 “Songlines” String Quartet Michael Ippolito composer Texas-based The music of 34-year-old for “two chamber orchestras in different tunings.” tunings.” in different orchestras for “two chamber City I Love and Hate” for sextet, “Different... and Hate” for piano City I Love “Second Snow influence), clue to Reich’s Rains” (a viola and piano, and “Twice” at the Stadium” for composer Terry Riley’s ground-breaking “In “In ground-breaking Riley’s Terry composer titles chosen by the intriguing are C.” Equally “The Among them: for his other works. Karmanov drive of Steve Reich’s “Different Trains” and the and the Trains” “Different Reich’s of Steve drive in minimalist heard explorations repeated-chord Tesla Quartet: Nov. 10-11, 2019 C-4 winners ofthe prestigious JohnLadPrize. Other at Stanford University’s BingConcert Hallas to London’s Wigmore Hallandperformances debut atNewYork’s LincolnCenter, areturn Europe, withrecent highlights includingits performs regularly across NorthAmericaand Now enteringitsseconddecade,thequartet Heredia, willbereleased inOctober2019. by Mozart,Finzi,JohnCoriglianoandCarolina clarinetist AlexanderFitersteinfeaturingquintets on theOrchid Classicslabel,acollaborationwith of focusandrefinement ofdetail.”Itsseconddisc Gramophone praisedthequartetforits“tautness “Chamber Choice”forthemonthofDecember. disc adouble5-starratingandfeatured itasthe acclaim. BBCMusicMagazineawarded the quartets ontheOrchid Classicslabeltocritical its debutalbumofHaydn,RavelvandStravinsky Competition. In2018,theTesla Quartetreleased StringQuartet at the12thBanffInternational Haydn PrizeandCanadianCommission most recently takingsecondprizeaswellthe top prizesinnumerouscompetitions, international superb” byTheStrad,theTesla Quartethaswon and establishedrepertoire. Dubbed“technically Quartet bringrefinement andprowess tobothnew Review ofMusic),themembersTesla style, ortechnicaldemand”(TheInternational heart ofeverythingtheyplay, regardless ofera, Praised fortheir“superbcapacitytofindtheinner connections withtheiraudiences. into thispalpablefeelingandcreate meaningful and outreach, theTesla Quartetstrivestotap “ties inseparable.”Through performance,teaching conduit forthisincredible, bindingforce, these Quartet’s vision.Forthequartet,musicis These words are theinspirationbehindTesla can feelthem.” inseparable. Thesetiescannotbeseen,butwe together, likethestarsinfirmament,withties “Though free tothinkand act,weare held About theperformers orchestra wasbeckoning, afterall. would completeonlytwomore. Theworldofthe success ofStringQuartetNo.1,Tchaikovsky Slavic colorsoftheenergetic finale.Despitethe drone inthedance-like with inspiringmelodies,notablythehurdy-gurdy Accordion.” Thefinaltwo movementsbubble —Nikola Tesla Scherzo · cupresents.org · 303-492-8008 andthefolksy, in NewYork, winningsecondprizeattheJ.C. as oneofthemostpromising youngensembles School in2008andquicklyestablisheditself The Tesla QuartetwasformedatTheJuilliard well asadedicatedchambermusicseries. universities andinthepublicschoolsystem,as performances andworkshopsatlocalcolleges, residency inHickory, NorthCarolina, thatincluded recently completedafour-year community Canada from 2016-17,the Tesla Quartetalso at MountAllisonUniversityinNewBrunswick, Marjorie Young BellStringQuartet-in-Residence Câmara inSãoPaulo,Brazil.Havingservedasthe in Germany;andtheFestivalSescdeMúsica Hungary; theMecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival Quartet FestivalattheEsterházyPalaceinFertőd, String QuartetFestival;theJosephHaydn appearances includetheBanffCentre International of Brazil,ChinaandSouthKorea. Notablefestival recent engagementsincludetours international Smigelskiy (cello). Learn moreSmigelskiy (cello).Learn at Lie (violin),EdwinKaplan(viola)andSerafim The Tesla QuartetisRossSnyder(violin),Michelle Music Festival. Young ArtistProgram andtheNorfolkChamber for AdvancedQuartetStudies,theBritten-Pears fellowships attheAspenMusicFestival’s Center renowned Takács Quartet.Theyhavealsoheld Boulder, where membersstudiedwiththeworld- Quartet-in-Residence attheUniversityofColorado quartet heldafellowshipastheGraduateString months afteritsinception.From 2009to2012,the Arriaga ChamberMusicCompetitiononlyafew teslaquartet.com