UMS PRESENTS QUATUOR EBÈNE

Pierre Colombet, Gabriel Le Magadure, Violin Mathieu Herzog, Raphaël Merlin,

Sunday Afternoon, November 9, 2014 at 4:00 Rackham Auditorium • Ann Arbor

15th Performance of the 136th Annual Season 52nd Annual Chamber Arts Series

Photo: Quatuor Ebène; photographer: Julien Mignot. 35 36 QUATUOR EBÈNE FALL 2014 UMS PROGRAM Quatuor Ebèneappears by arrangement withArtsManagement Group, Inc. Quatuor Ebènerecords for Virgin Classics. Media partnership isprovided by WGTE 91.3FMandAnnArbor’s 107one FM. Endowment Fund, whichsupportsanannualpresentation on theUMSChamberArtsseriesinperpetuity. This evening’s performance ismadepossible by endowed supportfrom theCandis J.andHelmut F. Stern the artists from thestage. Repertoire onthesecond half of this afternoon’s program willbeannounced by Jazz andCrossover INTERMISSION No. 2inaminor, Op. 13 String Quartet No. 16inE-flat Major, K.428 Allegro vivace Menuetto: Allegro Andante con moto Allegro nontroppo Presto —Adagio nonlento Intermezzo: Allegretto con moto —Allegro dimolto Adagio non lento Adagio — Allegro vivace

BE PRESENT FALL 2014 37 (known as “The Joke” on account of account on Joke” “The as (known The third-movement “Menuetto” “Menuetto” The third-movement the unusual ending of its finale). Haydn ending of its finale). Haydn the unusual himself had said of his Op. 33, published it was written in a “very in 1781, that manner” — referring, and unusual new the equality of things, to other among technique of a new instruments, the four and, with regard to development motivic of treatment a more elaborate minuets, of the an anticipation the form and even took Mozart scherzo. What Beethovenian instance in this particular from Haydn the accents, folk-like the heavy, were trio, and, in the central phrases complex present work, the tone is set by a most by the tone is set work, present unisonin played melody, opening unusual times in Three instruments. the four by of this brief theme, Mozart the course the (ones outside notes uses chromatic positions, in stressed downbeat main key) tension which the rest a certain creating to resolve. will have of the movement the magical and release is what Tension is con moto” “Andante second-movement melody is of its opening as well: all about and irregular length, filled with rhythmic Then the melody harmonic ambiguity. followed resting point, finds a temporary adventures. new by Haydn, by was directly modeled on a work of E-flat in the same key the minuet 33, Op. Quartet from the String Major 2 No. (1783)

Mozart composed these quartets these quartets composed Mozart The Quatuor Ebène has long been known for the ease with which it moves between for the ease with which it moves known Ebène has long been The Quatuor

The Great Meteor passes over Great Britain Great passes over Meteor The Great John Broadwood patents the piano pedal in England the piano patents Broadwood John Great Britain formally declares that it will cease declares Britain formally Great hostilities with the US The first Waterford Crystal glassmaking business begins Crystal Waterford The first Ireland in Waterford, production The volcano Laki in Iceland begins an eight-month Laki in Iceland The volcano environmental the greatest one of causing eruption, history in European catastrophes Major, K. 428 Major, tragic d-minor Quartet (K. 421). In the421). (K. Quartet d-minor tragic in a most original way, and the intensely in a most original way, (K. 387) that combined grace and rigor grace combined (K. 387) that came third in the set, after a G-Major work a G-Major after came third in the set, 1782 and 1785. The Quartet in E-flat E-flat in Quartet The 1785. and 1782 over a period of three years, between between a period of three years, over

dedicated to Franz . Joseph to Franz dedicated like the six string quartets that Mozart Mozart that the six string quartets like be a set of extraordinary masterpieces masterpieces of extraordinary be a set friend? The result, in that case, may well case, may friend? The result, in that impress an esteemed older colleague andcolleague older esteemed an impress hard as usual, making a concerted effort to effort hard as usual, making a concerted tries to outdo himself and works twice as himself and works tries to outdo What happens when a genius consciously happens What • • • • SNAPSHOTS OF HISTORY…IN 1783: OF HISTORY…IN SNAPSHOTS • January 1950 in Rackham Auditorium 1950 in Rackham January UMS premiere: String Quartet, Quartet, String UMS premiere: Budapest Died December 5, 1791 in Vienna Died December Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Amadeus Wolfgang Austria 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Born January String Quartet No. 16 in E-flat String Quartet in store. of it, as you wait to see what surprises the unannounced second half of the program hasof the program second half the unannounced surprises wait to see what of it, as you on the edge but seat, only in your going to be not you’re Tonight, worlds. musical different music of his elders, had already found a voice that belonged only to him and no one else. only to him and belonged that a voice already found of his elders, had music Mozart to Mendelssohn, we may discover how the latter, at the age of 18 and steeped in the and steeped the age of 18 at the latter, how discover may we to Mendelssohn, Mozart by two of the greatest composing prodigies the world has ever known. As we move from move we As known. has ever the world prodigies composing greatest of the two by forms, and styles. The program begins with two works from the Western quartet tradition, quartet Western from the works two begins with styles. The program forms, and kind.” This evening’s concert offers only the former, but the selections come in many shapes,in many the selections come but offers only the former, concert evening’s kind.” This Duke Ellington famously said: “There are two kinds of music. Good music, and the other and the Good music, said: “Therekinds of music. are two famously Ellington Duke NOW THAT YOU’RE IN YOUR SEAT… YOUR IN YOU’RE THAT NOW 38 QUATUOR EBÈNE FALL 2014 UMS profound knowledge ofcomposition.” has taste, and, what is more, the most to meeitherinpersonorby name.He your sonisthegreatest composer known God and as an honest man, I tell you that words toMozart’s father Leopold: “Before works, hesaidthefollowing immortal dedicatee. WhenHaydn heard these fail toproducethedesiredeffectontheir harmonic andmelodicsurprises. plenty ofvirtuoso runs aswell asvarious movement types: afast contradanse with Mozart’s take onanother of Haydn’s favorite a suddenshift tothe“right” key. Thefinaleis after whichmatters arestraightened out by drone inwhat turnsout tobea“wrong”key, a very Haydnesque musical “joke”: along the year ofBeethoven’s death, shows how String Quartet No.2inaminor , written important composer ofthetime. The Beethoven reignedsupreme asthemost all ofthem;yet inMendelssohn’seyes, recognized that Beethoven dwarfed the height oftheir fame, not everyone Hummel, Clementi, and Spohr were at than wasMendelssohn.At atimewhen familiar withBeethoven’s recent works Few composers inthe1820swere more • • • • • SNAPSHOTS OFHISTORY…IN 1827: 2011 inRackhamAuditorium UMS premiere:Tetzlaff Quartet, April Died November 4,1847in Born February 3,1809inHamburg, Germany Felix Mendelssohn String Quartet No.2inaminor, Op. 13 Friedrich Wöhler isolates aluminum for thefirst time The Deathof Sardanapalus Eugène Delacroix paints oneof hisgreatest canvases, Slavery isabolishedinNew York State landmark of Italian literature, is published Alessandro Manzoni’s novel TheBetrothed, a Beethoven diesonMarch 26 Mozart’s “Haydn” quartets didnot (1827) “ with thelate Beethoven quartets ofthe the quartet —remindingthosefamiliar appears inthe“Adagio”introduction to to amuch faster “Allegrodimolto” fora con moto” tempo that is soonchanged melody in acomfortable “Allegretto “Intermezzo” opening with agentle same lyricalmannerinwhichit began. words.” Themovement thus endsinthe by arecapitulation ofthe“songwithout contrapuntal music returns, followed expression. In symmetrical fashion, the from introspection toexuberant self- to 4/4)accompanies achangeinmood middle section.Ameter change(from3/4 development that erupts inananimated soon yieldstoanintense contrapuntal pieces. Yet in the quartet, songfulness to hiscelebrated seriesofshort piano name Mendelssohn would give later “song without words” — to borrow the The secondmovement beginslike a with great passion by the first violin. out of an operatic recitative, delivered on adeclamatory formula straight its codaisparticularly dramatic, ending fiery andtempestuous fast movement; movement. as itreappears at thevery endofthelast 135. Thisthemeframes theentire work, question “Isteswahr?” song called “ notably tooneofhisown works: ashort allusions inthispieceaswell, most . modeled ontheanalogous passageinthe section of the first movement, audibly The allusionoccursinthe“Allegrovivace” same year (andwrittentwo years earlier). same key (Op.132),published onlythat allusions toBeethoven’s quartet inthe This work makes someunmistakable up-to-date the18-year-old masterwas. ” (“Must it be?”) motto of Op. Muss essein?”(“Mustitbe?”)motto ofOp. The third movement is an In between, thereis,firstofall,a But Mendelssohn madeother Frage ” (“Question”). The

(“Is ittrue?”) BE PRESENT FALL 2014 39 There is no single word that describes that There is no single word studies with the Quatuor After are Ebène’s concerts The Quatuor The slow ending and the large large the and ending slow The authentically. their own. created their style: they’ve does not repertoire Their traditional with other suffer from their engagement their free association genres; rather, styles brings a productive with diverse the From music. to their excitement of their oeuvre beginning, the complexity by enthusiastically has been greeted and critics. audiences Takács, in and with Gábor Ysaÿe the Kurtág, György and Eberhard Feltz, at victory had an unprecedented quartet 2004. This the ARD Music Competition the beginning of their rise, whichmarked prizes and in numerous has culminated awards. their With energy. special a by marked their fresh approach playing, charismatic engagement and their open to tradition melodic flow, which then continues with then continues which flow, melodic the until before, energy than more even “Adagio.” of the final arrival links between of thematic number highly both are the movements are which features, structural unusual from a composer surprising particularly labeled (mistakenly) often is style whose Mendelssohn In fact, as conservative. daring rather was engaged in some 13 was, here. Op. experiments structural even his first string quartet, incidentally, referred to as it is sometimes though 1, which was theNo. 2. (The official No. Major the E-flat is first to be published, 12; number the opus received that work after the present years it was written two composition.) Laki. Peter by notes Program

after a 2009 after Times York New string quartet that can easily can easily that string quartet a jazz band,” wrote into morph the What began in 1999 as a distraction What

The finale begins with the same with the same The finale begins

stage and to their audiences directly andstage and to their audiences each piece and that they bring to the the bring to they and that each piece all the passion that they experience for experience they all the passion that with gusto, yet remain themselves with remain themselves with gusto, yet humility and respect. They change styles and respect. They humility the genre, they approach the music with music the approach they genre, the perspective on the works. Regardless of Regardless works. the on perspective their consistently direct, open-minded direct, open-minded their consistently new life into through through music chamber life into new in the music scene. The four breathe breathe scene. The four in the music has generated lasting reverberations lasting reverberations has generated a trademark of the Quatuor Ebène, and of the Quatuor a trademark four young French musicians has become musicians French young four in the university’s practice rooms for the practice in the university’s QUATUOR EBÈNE. the QUATUOR performance by enthusiasm and passion. enthusiasm music theme — with exactly the same theme — with exactly music Haydn and then improvised on a film film a on then improvised and Haydn The ensemble opened with Debussy and with Debussy opened The ensemble as well, momentarily interrupting the interrupting momentarily as well, Periodically, the recitative style returns style recitative the Periodically, the opening of the “Is it true?” motto. motto. of the “Is it true?” the opening and finally (as mentioned before), before), and finally (as mentioned A the contrapuntal idea from the second, idea from the the contrapuntal passage from the first movement, then movement, passage from the first “ reappear: first the “Beethovenian” the “Beethovenian” first reappear: ARTISTS several elements of previous movements movements of previous elements several intensity. As the movement continues, continues, As the movement intensity. aria — a melodic theme of great emotional great of theme melodic a — aria movement ended. This time it leads into an ended. This time it leads into movement dramatic recitative with which the first recitative dramatic

heard together in the movement’s coda. in the movement’s heard together trio doesn’t quite go away; both themes are both quite go away; trio doesn’t eventually returns, but the material of the the material but returns, eventually opening “main” section. That main section section main section. That “main” opening is longer and more substantial than the more substantial is longer and middle section, but unlike most trios, it most unlike but section, middle episode fulfills the function of a trio or function the fulfills episode playful episode in contrapuntal style. This style. contrapuntal in episode playful UMS the chamber music scene. In 2013, the only solidifiedtheiruniquepositionin a live recordingofjazzarrangements, has album and theMidernClassicAward. Their2010 Gramophone Award, theECHOKlassik, have won numerous awards, includingthe of music by Bartók, Debussy, andFauré unanimously by critics.Further recordings featuring works by Haydn, waspraised instruments fromprivate collections. for themtoplay priceless oldItalian with the musicians, making it possible then, theFoundation hasworked closely the Forberg-Schneider Foundation. Since the ensemble won theBelmont Prizeof Colburn SchoolinLosAngeles. In2005, at theConservatoire Parisand at the their knowledge in regular master classes of young listeners;they communicate successful inreachingawideaudience with new forms,themusicians have been OUR HISTORY. INYOUR HANDS. 136-year history. Performancerecords,program books,photos, andmuch moreare For thelastseveral years, we’ve beendigitizingalloftheinformation fromour rich The Quatuor Ebène’sdebut CD, now available online.We’re proud toannounce thelaunch ofour onlinearchives. Fiction andtheaccompanying DVD, We encourage you toexplore. UMSREWIND.ORG afternoon. Ebène asthey make theirUMSdebuts this UMS welcomes themembers ofQuatuor String Quartets Op. 131andOp. 132 . Quatuor EbènewillfocusonBeethoven’s will remainacornerstone:in2015,the classical repertoire for string quartet Bremen, amongothers. Thefundamental numerous festivalconcerts inPrague and Carnegie HallinNew York, alongside in Paris,Munich’sHerkulessaal, and , theThéâ include concerts intheWigmoreHall Stacey Kent, appeared earlyin2014. crossover CDBrazil, acollaboration with Music Magazine Award. Their second Mendelssohn Bartholdy, which won aBBC Fanny Mendelssohn-HenselandFelix entitled ensemble released a well-regarded CD Highlights ofthecurrent season Felix andFanny withworks by tre des Champs-Elysées tre desChamps-Elysées