Elias String Quartet BEETHOVEN the Complete String Quartets
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b0073_WH booklet template.qxd 08/12/2014 22:57 Page 1 Elias String Quartet BEETHOVEN The Complete String Quartets Op. 18 No. 4 Op. 74 ‘Harp’ Opp. 130 & 133 1 b0073_WH booklet template.qxd 08/12/2014 22:57 Page 2 Elias string QuartEt plays BEEthovEn – 1 There is something particularly special about replace the fugue with a slighter final movement. Beethoven’s cycle of string quartets. At the heart This does so much to change the experience of the of Beethoven’s life’s statement as a composer, work as a whole that the Elias String Quartet they are pieces that one simply needs to know. played Op. 130 twice in their Wigmore Hall cycle, The cycle of piano sonatas may be more complete. once with each finale – an excellent idea. The five cello sonatas are perhaps the most Arguably, if I had to choose a single Beethoven perfectly concise and representative series. The work to sum him up as a composer, this would be symphonies of course are the mightiest of all, it. Written on a grand scale, it contains the whole each a masterpiece. Every one of these cycles world within it: earthiness, humour, monstrous inspired and also weighed heavily upon the intellect, heaven and hell, redemption. One may generations that followed but the cycle of choose one’s own words of course because this sixteen string quartets has retained a special music is at once objective and also wonderfully status and reverence that perhaps eclipses all of abstract. It defies words. them. Why? The opening movement of Op. 130 is For me there are two main reasons. The first is essentially a rigorous allegro, presenting the the nature of the medium itself. It suits Beethoven counterpoint that will come to its fruition in the perfectly. It is ‘pure’ music. There are none of the huge finale. This allegro is preceded by an adagio limitations of a piano but no tempting allure of introduction that suggests the spiritual element superficial orchestral colour. There is potential for of the work and warns us, with the arrival of the both intimacy and grandeur. There is the ideal cello’s plaintive throbbing theme, taken up in balance of voices: the soprano, alto, tenor and imitation by the violins, that the journey may not bass – all you need with which to say everything. be easy. Ever the innovator however, Beethoven In music, the magic number is four, not three. The integrates these two elements by returning to the second reason is the existence of the five late introductory material after an initial short burst of quartets. Only the quartet cycle possesses a body allegro and eventually repeating the entire of Beethoven’s very last, transcendent state - exposition, introduction and all. We begin to ments. Without them the series of quartets would realise that the adagio material is in fact no mere be wonderful. With them it is awe-inspiring. introduction, but very much part of the argument, The late quartet on this recording is the B flat returning again at strategic points at the major, Op. 130 (1825), complete with its intended beginning of the development and coda. There is finale, the Grosse Fuge. The work originally struggle in the drama, as if the persistent turning appeared in this form but a lukewarm reception semiquavers of the allegro are trying to break free and nervy publisher persuaded Beethoven to from the grip of the adagio. It gradually becomes 2 b0073_WH booklet template.qxd 08/12/2014 22:57 Page 2 b0073_WH booklet template.qxd 08/12/2014 22:57 Page 3 Elias string QuartEt plays BEEthovEn – 1 clear, when the music elides without ceremony to see the second, third and fourth movements There is something particularly special about replace the fugue with a slighter final movement. into the recapitulation, that one element cannot together as one extended dance/scherzo section. Beethoven’s cycle of string quartets. At the heart This does so much to change the experience of the exist without the other. The allegro cannot start of The Cavatina that follows is one of Beethoven’s of Beethoven’s life’s statement as a composer, work as a whole that the Elias String Quartet its own accord, the adagio cannot finish. Further most sublime, personal and spiritual outpourings, they are pieces that one simply needs to know. played Op. 130 twice in their Wigmore Hall cycle, devices marry the two elements which at first unusually (for Beethoven) taking the form of an The cycle of piano sonatas may be more complete. once with each finale – an excellent idea. seemed so disparate. A chorale-like second extended, unbroken melody. The movement is not The five cello sonatas are perhaps the most Arguably, if I had to choose a single Beethoven subject recalls the opening adagio with its rising long, but time stands still. Then the fugue bursts perfectly concise and representative series. The work to sum him up as a composer, this would be sixth and fall by step. Within the allegro, the in and demonic chaos ensues (ironically, in a symphonies of course are the mightiest of all, it. Written on a grand scale, it contains the whole development section is dominated by a ‘slow’, form usually associated with absolute order), each a masterpiece. Every one of these cycles world within it: earthiness, humour, monstrous yearning melody. By the time the material of the its angular dissonance all the more shocking inspired and also weighed heavily upon the intellect, heaven and hell, redemption. One may adagio ‘introduction’ appears one last time in the following such repose. Beethoven hints that all is generations that followed but the cycle of choose one’s own words of course because this coda, we welcome it with open arms and the final not lost, however, with a short peaceful interlude sixteen string quartets has retained a special music is at once objective and also wonderfully burst of the allegro ends in triumph. in F major during the fugue’s introduction. This status and reverence that perhaps eclipses all of abstract. It defies words. The contemporary public would have most enormous of all double fugues travels them. Why? The opening movement of Op. 130 is expected the standard two inner movements to through section after section of gritty counter - For me there are two main reasons. The first is essentially a rigorous allegro, presenting the follow before a spirited finale, along the lines of point, pushing tonality to the limit, but the the nature of the medium itself. It suits Beethoven counterpoint that will come to its fruition in the the other works in this programme. In Op. 130 soothing contrast of its spiritual side, particularly perfectly. It is ‘pure’ music. There are none of the huge finale. This allegro is preceded by an adagio Beethoven gives us no fewer than four inner in an extended middle section based on that limitations of a piano but no tempting allure of introduction that suggests the spiritual element movements. First earnestness is undermined in hopeful fragment from the opening, is always superficial orchestral colour. There is potential for of the work and warns us, with the arrival of the typical Beethovenian fashion by a whirlwind there attempting resolution. This is Beethoven’s both intimacy and grandeur. There is the ideal cello’s plaintive throbbing theme, taken up in scherzo, over in a flash, at first scampering, then defiant message at its apogee and indeed, after a balance of voices: the soprano, alto, tenor and imitation by the violins, that the journey may not with a feeling of popular music in the central quarter of an hour of hard-won struggle it is in bass – all you need with which to say everything. be easy. Ever the innovator however, Beethoven section and a comic return to the original material glorious triumph that the fugue brings this unique In music, the magic number is four, not three. The integrates these two elements by returning to the via a brief moment of high drama. A breezy masterpiece to its conclusion. second reason is the existence of the five late introductory material after an initial short burst of andante follows, eschewing the pathetic for The C minor String Quartet, Op. 18 No. 4, was quartets. Only the quartet cycle possesses a body allegro and eventually repeating the entire something altogether lighter, sung over the cello’s the last of its set of six to be completed, in 1800, of Beethoven’s very last, transcendent state - exposition, introduction and all. We begin to buoyant accompaniment. The fourth movement although there is uncertainty as to whether ments. Without them the series of quartets would realise that the adagio material is in fact no mere is a German dance, in lieu of a minuet, with Beethoven made use of earlier material during its be wonderful. With them it is awe-inspiring. introduction, but very much part of the argument, ornamented reprises and strange expressive composition. As might be expected, the younger The late quartet on this recording is the B flat returning again at strategic points at the ‘hairpins’ to make as if it were played by a Beethoven is more clearly indebted to the past, major, Op. 130 (1825), complete with its intended beginning of the development and coda. There is peasant’s squeeze-box rather than the genteel especially the influence of Haydn. In Op. 18 the finale, the Grosse Fuge. The work originally struggle in the drama, as if the persistent turning string quartet. There are several ways of inter - formal daring is as yet less extreme than in appeared in this form but a lukewarm reception semiquavers of the allegro are trying to break free preting and understanding the movements within his later works; nevertheless Beethoven already and nervy publisher persuaded Beethoven to from the grip of the adagio.