UMS PRESENTS ELIAS

Sara Bitlloch, Donald Grant, Violin Martin Saving, Marie Bitlloch,

Tuesday Evening, March 18, 2014 at 7:30 Rackham Auditorium • Ann Arbor

60th Performance of the 135th Annual Season 51st Annual Chamber Arts Series Photo: Elias String Quartet; photographer: Benjamin Ealovega. 21 22 ELIAS STRING QUARTET WINTER 2014 UMS PROGRAM INTERMISSION Officium Breve in MemoriamAndreae Szervánszky, Op.28 György Kurtág String Quartet ingminor, Op.10 The EliasStringQuartet appears by arrangement with David Rowe Artists. Media partnership provided by WGTE 91.3 FM. String Quartet No. 8ineminor, Op.59, No. 2 15. Larghetto 14. Disperato, vivo 13. Sostenuto, con slacio 12. Sostenuto, quasigiusto 11. Sostenuto 10a. Atempo (10. Da Capo alfine) 10. SehrFliessend 9. Largo 8. Lento a2)(free, after lastmovement of Webern’s (canon Cantata No. 2,Op.31) Fliessend 7. Sehr 6. Molto agitato (canon a4) 5. Presto 4. Grave, molto sostenuto; quasi doppio più lento, calando alfine 3. Sostenuto, quasigiusto 2. Piùandante 1. Largo Très modéré —Très mouvemente et avec passion Andantino doucement expressif Assez vifet bien rythmé Animé et très décidé Presto Allegretto Molto adagio Allegro BE PRESENT WINTER 2014 23 The idea of using the same theme on is based The second movement owed to predecessors ranging from Griegfrom ranging predecessors to owed Debussy’s But Chausson. and Franck to also speaks with the confidence quartet 30, was ready to man who, at of a young of his elders. assume the mantle of a movements all the in most or doubt, a without comes, composition theme is of a Debussy’s but from Franck, Instead of relying on vintage. different did, the as Franck as heavily chromaticism turned to one of the composer younger and modes, Phrygian, church medieval sounded harmonized it with chords that take quite modern in the 1890s. Debussy’s is form in the first movement on sonata he visits an extremely most interesting: his of tonalities as he subjects wide range on a themes to development contrasting the effect of thelarge scale. This makes morethe all minor g opening the to return powerful. movement’s the first of close variant a the by main theme. The melody is played other the by accompanied is and viola the(plucking in pizzicato instruments in the it appears strings). Subsequently

Rudolf Diesel patents the engine that bears his name his the engine that bears patents Diesel Rudolf The Chicago World Fair opens its doors Fair World The Chicago The Scream paints Munch Edvard Pelléas et Mélisande et Pelléas premieres: theatrical Notable Mrs. Wilde), (Oscar Salomé Maeterlinck), (Maurice B. Shaw) (G. Profession Warren’s Notable musical premieres: Dvořák’s “New World” “New Dvořák’s premieres: musical Notable Verdi’s Sixth Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony, Falstaff (1893) Laye, France France Laye, pointed out the many debts Debussy Debussy debts the many out pointed of . Commentators have have Commentators music. chamber of he embraced the most venerable genre the most venerable he embraced trappings reflects a bow to tradition as to tradition reflects a bow trappings Maybe his insistence on these classical these on insistence his Maybe any of his other works opus numbers. numbers. opus works of his other any number (Op. 10), although he never gave gave he never (Op. 10), although number second. He also published it with an opus second. He also published string quartet, but there was never a a never was there but quartet, string Debussy called this work his “first” his “first” this work called Debussy • • • • SNAPSHOTS OF HISTORY…IN 1893: OF HISTORY…IN SNAPSHOTS • 1929 in Hill Auditorium UMS premiere: Lener String Quartet, December Quartet, UMS premiere: Lener String quartet has become capable during its history which now spans over 250 years. spans over which now during its history has become capable quartet Died March 25, 1918 in structure. Tonight’s program demonstrates the incredible diversity of which the string of which the the incredible diversity demonstrates program Tonight’s structure. Debussy Claude Born August 22, 1862 in Saint-Germain-en seriousness and transcendence through finely nuanced part-writing and a tight musicaltight and a part-writing nuanced finely through and transcendence seriousness in g minor, Op. 10 String Quartet in myriad new ways. To this day, the string quartet has a very special aesthetic, achieving special aesthetic, a very has quartet the string this day, To ways. new in myriad to express emotions in an extremely pure and highly condensed form manifested itself and highly condensed form manifested pure in an extremely emotions to express never before, yet what never changed was the Beethovenian notion that the quartet had the quartet that notion changed was the Beethovenian never what before, yet never quartet composition; when that happened, the genre became stylistically diverse like diverse the genre became stylistically happened, when that composition; quartet speak of in France. Not until the 20th century did composers around the world embrace the world around did composers the 20th century until Not speak of in France. Debussy wrote his great string quartet in 1893, there were very few precedents to precedents few very in 1893, there were quartet string his great wrote Debussy romantic eras. It took a long time for the quartet to become truly international: when international: truly become to quartet the for time long a took It eras. romantic was largely responsible for making the quartet a central art form of the classical and form art a central the quartet responsible for making was largely unchallenged as the father of the genre. Together with Mozart and Beethoven, he and Beethoven, Mozart with genre. Together of the as the father unchallenged significant efforts of composers like Luigi Boccherini, was essentially Haydn Joseph Luigi Boccherini, like composers of efforts significant In the beginning, the string quartet was very much a Viennese genre. Despite the very the very genre. Despite a Viennese much very was quartet the string beginning, In the NOW THAT YOU’RE IN YOUR SEAT… YOUR IN YOU’RE THAT NOW 24 ELIAS STRING QUARTET WINTER 2014 UMS established asamodernclassic. next years andbeforelongwasfirmly many repeat performancesover the warmed tothenew work whichreceived baffled andbewildered at first,but itsoon Société Nationale. Theaudience was by the Ysaÿe Quartet at a concert of the Debussy’s firstmasterpiece. coda closesthisremarkable movement, g minortoGMajor, beforeaneven faster changes —inatraditional gesture—from (“very animated”). At theend,tonality and eventually becomes“Très animé ” The tempo speedsup,slows down again, without following any classicalform. undergoes many further transformations slow introduction to the finale and not appear. Itreturns inthedreamlike which thequartet’s motto themedid opening section returns. a passionate climax,after whichthe a moreanimated middlesectionreaching slow movement iscastinABAformwith entirely by correspondence.)Debussy’s who wasTchaikovsky’s “Beloved Friend,” (This isthesameMadamevon Meck as house pianisttoNadezhdavon Meck. he spent inRussiaasateenager,serving Debussy probably heardduringthetime Borodin’s models, especiallythe“Notturno” from “Andantino” that was inspired by Russian players put ontheirmutes foralyrical four instruments play itpizzicato. restated inanasymmetrical meter asall expressive style.Finally,thethemeis first violin, in slow motion andinan The quartet was first performed This wastheonlymovement in In thethirdmovement, the String Quartet inDMajor which duration. a substantial work ofabout 13minutes’ together 15succinctmovements tocreate quartet, entitled OfficiumBreve , strings considerable size.Thus, histhird string combine toformmusical utterances of fragments ormusical epigrams frequently saying much withjustafew words, but his There isnodoubt that heisamasterof are short orconsistofbriefmovements. nature, even though not allhisworks forms that often seemfragmentary in emphasize hisfondnessforminiature in 2015. to bepremieredat theSalzburg Festival opera, after Samuel Beckett’s Endgame, writing, Kurtág is working onhisfirst in LondonlastDecember. At thetimeof Medal oftheRoyal PhilharmonicSociety most recently, hewasawarded theGold has received canhardlybecounted — abroad. Today, theprizesandhonorshe friends andstudents but barelynoticed in , admired by his numerous Prior tothat, hewasworking andteaching breakthrough until about 30years ago. did not have hismajor international György Kurtág, whoturned88inFebruary, • • • • • SNAPSHOTS OFHISTORY…IN 1989: November 1992inRackham Auditorium UMS premiere:ArdittiString Quartet, Born February 19,1926inLugoj, György Kurtág Officium Breve inMemoriam Andreae Szervánszky, Op.28 Manuel Noriega The USinvades Panama anddeposesdictator the Cannes Festival by Ildikó Enyedi, winstheGolden Camera award at The Hungarian filmMyTwentieth Century, Samuel Beckett dies attheageof 83 George H.W. Bushbecomes President of theUS Communism inEastern Europe The fall of theBerlin Wall ushers intheendof Kurtág’s commentators tend to directed directed (1989) BE PRESENT WINTER 2014 25 (1806) The three quartets of Op. 59, of Op. 59, The three quartets The Holy Roman Empire is dissolved by Napoleon by is dissolved Empire Roman The Holy St. Louis to Expedition returns and Clark The Lewis exploration of 28 months after his completes Hegel Wilhelm Friedrich Georg Spirit of Phenomenology The his classic comedy writes Kleist von Heinrich Jug Broken a mental suffers Holderlin Friedrich poet The great 37 spend the next him to force that will breakdown in confinement years Op. 59, No. 2 “Rasumovsky” 2 “Rasumovsky” Op. 59, No. Prince Andrey , the Russian Razumovsky, Prince Andrey in , and the PrincesAmbassador Viennese two and Lobkowitz, to whom he was related aristocrats the received marriage, together by of more than a dozen major dedications almost One might Beethoven. by works a great their “clan” underwrote that say as became known later of what part “heroic” or middle period. Beethoven’s quartets, as the “Razumovsky” known the Third after written shortly were (“Eroica”) and the f-minor Symphony those In (“Appassionata”). Sonata Piano into made a bold leap Beethoven works, expressed had never music the future: before, nor had emotions such intense been of music the formal conventions time. in such a short changed so radically his extended With Op. 59, Beethoven medium, to the quartet revolution musical which after producing three masterworks String Quartet No. 8 in e minor, No. 8 in String Quartet Beethoven Ludwig van 17, 1770 in Bonn, Germany Born December Vienna, Austria Died March 26, 1827 in Quartet, String UMS premiere: 1947 in Rackham Auditorium January 1806: OF HISTORY…IN SNAPSHOTS • • • • • Kurtág did not draw a double bar line at bar a double draw not did Kurtág continues thus which of the piece, the end the after minds even in our to reverberate playing. stopped have musicians

Szervánszky Szervánszky pieces for for pieces A very large number of Kurtág’s Kurtág’s of number large very A This “brief toterm refers (the office” a Webern memorial as well. memorial Officium a Webern an unresolved dissonance. Symbolically, an unresolved composition open-ended, concluding withconcluding open-ended, composition off after 12 measures, leaving the the 12 measures, leaving off after the Szervánszky, which abruptly breaks which abruptly the Szervánszky, and last movement is a literal quote of quote is a literal and last movement explosive, and introspective. The 15th The and introspective. explosive, ways, forming movements in turn frozen, movements forming ways, figure that Kurtág exploits in myriad in myriad exploits Kurtág figure that That shared motif is a modified “sigh” “sigh” modified a is motif shared That the thematic unity of the composition. unity of the composition. the thematic this thematic coincidence strengthens this thematic (treated canonically by Kurtág as well); as well); Kurtág canonically by (treated melody and Webern’s canonic tone row row tone canonic Webern’s and melody motivic links between Szervánszky’s Szervánszky’s links between motivic Analysts have found some interesting interesting some found have Analysts the composer’s last musical words makes makes words last musical composer’s Cantata No. 2, No. 2, Cantata work, final completed of his career, and using the Austrian turned to the last movement of Webern’s of Webern’s turned to the last movement beginning the at Kurtág on influence dating from 1948–49), the composer also from 1948–49), the composer dating decisive a exerted music . Webern’s 31 Op. (from Szervánszky’s Serenade for Strings (from Szervánszky’s the last movement of Kurtág’s quartet quartet of Kurtág’s the last movement the Szervánszky quote that appears in appears that quote Szervánszky the of allusions and reminiscences. Beyond Beyond reminiscences. and allusions of the piece becomes an unusually dense web piece becomes an unusually the several others who had passed on, so that who had others several object of homage, it evokes the memory of the memory of homage, it evokes object deceased friends, but the Officium Breve the deceased friends, but to the main in addition is unique in that, in memoriam in are works

longer heard regularly even in Hungary. even longer heard regularly in his own time, although his works are no his works time, although in his own musicians, Szervánszky was a major figure was a major Szervánszky musicians, Also a beloved teacher to many younger younger to many teacher Also a beloved respond to Western musical influences. musical Western respond to of the isolation of the national school and of the national of the isolation Kurtág’s compatriot, Andreae compatriot, Kurtág’s out to break composers first in Hungarian Roman Catholic Church) memorializes Church) Catholic Roman 1960s, was one of thewho, in the (1911–77) a particular type of prayer service in the service prayer of type a particular

26 ELIAS STRING QUARTET WINTER 2014 UMS pezzo conmoltosentiment” adagio” withthewords “Sitratta questo inscribed thesecondmovement “Molto “Allegro” avery specialedge. his radically new way ofwritinggave this tradition ofHaydn andMozart, though turbulence, Beethoven followed the associating minormodewithemotional with theoccasionalgentler moments. In or parallel motion, in dramatic contrast rhythms andrapid passages inunison We hearmany insistent syncopated reflecting anagitated state ofmind. the formremainsrather fragmented, Eventually, continuity isrestored,but calling the e-minor tonality into question. repeated ahalf-step higher,immediately phrase, which is punctuated by rests and with a pair of chords, followed by a short striking. Beethoven beginssuspensefully opening of the e-minor quartet is equally with itsfamous four-note theme,but the first movement oftheFifth Symphony, most extreme example isprobably the that serve todevelop thosemotifs. The motifs andanexpansion ofthetechniques the thematic material toasmallnumber of Beethoven’s “heroic”styleisareductionof the genrewasnever thesameagain. the third movement a“scherzo,” and movement inanidyllic mood. before the gentle closing measures end the harsh harmoniesandstrong accents — instruments inboldfortissimo chords,with away and the melody is stated by the four movement, allembellishments arestripped complex figurations. Then,at theendof the chromatic harmoniesandsurrounded by chamber music. Themelodyisenrichedby — yet entirely withintheintimate world of “Emperor” Concerto andNinth Symphony with thequiet majesty ofthelater one ofhisgreat hymn-like slow movements, must beplayed withmuch feeling”).Hereis It wasnot fornothing that Beethoven One ofthemoststrikingfeatures of Beethoven refrained fromcalling

(“This piece (“This piece Program notes by Peter Laki. for thefinalmeasures. Beethoven demandsPiùpresto(“faster”) “Presto” tempo weren’t fast enough, away forvery long;andasiftheinitial theme. Yet themainthemenever stays by quieter motion inthelyricalsecond galloping pulse istemporarily replaced momentum never flags,though the uses asimilarstrategy.) Therhythmic Op. 58, written around the same time, movement oftheFourth PianoConcerto, before theendof the phrase. (Thelast Major beforemakingasuddenshift just he keeps the first few measures in C to establish the home key of e minor, tonal expectations. Seeminglyreluctant games withour (possiblyunconscious) rondo whereBeethoven constantly plays and theopening sectionthreetimes. the scherzo isexpanded toA-B-A-B-A,with works, the usual A-B-A scheme of the players. Asinseveral other Beethoven that alsomakes itsrounds amongthefour against afaster-moving counterpoint melody identically over and over again, instruments take turnsinrepeated this Boris Godunov.) Beethoven hadthe four by Mussorgsky inthecoronation sceneof Red Sun,Glory!” was,famously, usedagain Ivan Prach in1790.(Thismelody,“To the collection published by Nikolai Lvov and the themewasinfluential folksong thème russe inthescore).Thesource of inserted aRussianthemehere(marked In honorofhisdedicatee, Beethoven (which elsewhere would becalleda“trio”). movement, however, isthesecondsection scherzo-like features. Thehighpoint ofthe and harmonic changes are definitely syncopated motion andsuddendynamic is tooserious toqualify asa“joke.” Yet its surely thefirstsectionofmovement thème russe sectionappearing twice The finaleisagalloping sonata BE PRESENT WINTER 2014 27

Building Their debut recordingTheir debut The Quartet received Second Prize andPrize Second received Quartet The recordedrecently most The Quartet artists such as Michael Collins, Jonathan Collins, such as Michael artists Ralph Crawford-Phillips, Biss, Simon Joan Murray, Ann Neary, Alice Kirshbaum, Vignoles, Padmore, Roger Rogers, Mark Bernard Cropper, Peter Michel Dalberto, Timothy Causa, Ettore Gregor-Smith, Brendel, Adrian Ireland, Robin Boulton, and with the Endellion, Marwood, Anthony Quartets. and Vertavo , the Ninth Griller Prize at the Sidney Competition String Quartet International String Quartet) in 2003 (as the Johnston finalists in the Paolo Borcianiand were they years four in 2005. For Competition Sheffield’s at Quartet String resident were of Ensemble as part “Music in the Round” Quartet. Lindsay the from over taking 360, Mozart, has released discs by The ensemble and Spohr with Sanctuary Beethoven, Classics and Nimbus. and Dvor˘ák of Schumann the piano quintets on Biss, available with pianist Jonathan recording of The Quartet’s label. the Onyx was released quartets and Schumann Haydn label.in Spring 2012 on the Wigmore Live of disc a label, that on effort previous Their was and Schubert, Mendelssohn, Mozart, the BBC Music Magazine Newcomergiven in April 2010. Award of Mendelssohn quartets for Sanctuary Sanctuary for quartets Mendelssohn of wide acclaim, and theirClassics also received was chosenperformance of the Op. 80 Quartet Radio 3’s as “Best Recording” on BBC also have 2009. They in September a Library with music harp released a disc of French for the French Sandrine Chatron harpist and Goehr’s Piano Quintet Ambroisie, label with Daniel Becker for Meridian Records. Inwith Daniel Becker a recording of Britten made addition, they Sonimage. released by quartets, as Quartet the Elias String UMS welcomes this evening. their UMS debut make they

, of, Inquirer ELIAS STRING QUARTET STRING ELIAS take their name from name from their take Elijah oratorio, Mendelssohn’s he The Quartet has performed alongsideThe Quartet The Quartet has been chosen to has been chosen to The Quartet

The Quartet made its North American made its North The Quartet

their journey on a dedicated website: on a dedicated their journey in Great Britain. They are documenting documenting are They Britain. Great in 13 and continue throughout this season throughout 13 and continue string quartets. The cycles started in 2012– started The cycles string quartets. www.thebeethovenproject.com. learning and performing all Beethoven learning and performing all Beethoven in its Beethoven Project, in which they are in which they Project, in its Beethoven Buitoni Trust, the Quartet is now immersed now is the Quartet Buitoni Trust, Award. With the support of the Borletti- With the support Award. recipients of a 2010 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Trust of a 2010 Borletti-Buitoni recipients Generation Artists’ scheme, and they are the scheme, and they Artists’ Generation participate in BBC Radio 3’s prestigious New Radio 3’s prestigious in BBC participate

March 2013. concerts both with and without Mr. Biss in with and without both concerts Biss; they will return to North America for to North will return Biss; they Washington, DC were with pianist Jonathan were DC Washington, Their concerts in Philadelphia and in in Philadelphia and in Their concerts their evolution have this much personality.” this much have their evolution proclaimed, “Few quartets at any stage of stage any at quartets proclaimed, “Few beauty,” and the beauty,” for their “shimmering Post Washington at Carnegie Hall, they were praised in the praised were Carnegie Hall, they at acclaim. In addition to a sold-out concert acclaim. In addition to a sold-out debut in March 2012 to great critical 2012 to great in March debut

Rainer Schmidt. Gábor Takács-Nagy, Henri Dutilleux, and Henri Dutilleux, Takács-Nagy, Gábor include Hugh Maguire, György Kurtág, Kurtág, György include Hugh Maguire, Other mentors in the Quartet’s studies Quartet’s the in mentors Other in with the Alban Berg quartet. quartet. Berg Alban the with Cologne in also spent a year studying at the Hochschule studying at a year also spent with the late Dr. Christopher Rowland. They Rowland. Dr. Christopher with the late Manchester where they worked closely worked they Manchester where at the Royal Northern College of Music in College Northern the Royal at artists. The Quartet was formed in 1998 in formed was Quartet The artists. world, collaborating with many different many with collaborating world, their generation. They perform around the around perform They generation. their the most intense and vibrant quartets of quartets vibrant and the most intense quickly established themselves as one of themselves quickly established which Elias is in its German form, and have is in its German form, which Elias

ARTISTS T