The program was broadcast live on November 4, I viewed it a day later. This was part of the 10-concert series subscription.
Program
Beethoven String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 130 (with Grosse Fuge, Op. 133).
The history of the composition is somewhat interesting. Beethoven first completed the piece in the form played tonight. The reception to the last movement at the work's premiere was negative, and at his publisher's urging Beethoven replaced it with Finale: Allegro in B-flat major, and the original sixth movement (Gross Fuge) was published as a stand-alone work numbered Op. 133. Modern performances tend to go back to Beethoven's original version, although some argue the best interpretation is to play the "modified" work followed by the Grand Fugue, thus making the quartet a seven-movement work.
Beethoven completed the replacement Finale in late 1826. The first performance of the modified quartet was in April 1827, a month after the composer's death.
The Emerson Quartet performed the six-movement, "original version." The movements are: (i) Adagio, ma non troppo - Allegro; (ii) Presto; (iii) Andante con moto, ma non troppo, Poco scherzoso; (iv) Alla danza tedesca. Allegro assai; (v) Cavatina. Adagio molto espressivo; and (vi) Gross Fuge (Op. 133) Ouverture. Allegro - Meno mosso e moderato - Allegretto - Fuga. [Allegro] - Meno mosso e moderato - Allegro molto e con brio - Allegro.
I managed to locate the music on line and could follow along as the quartet played. It was generally enjoyable, although there were segments that could have sounded cleaner than they did. As this was my first encounter with the piece, I do not know if that how it should sound. The 92Y website describes this quartet as the piece that put the Emerson Quartet on the map.
Information from the 92Y website. Conflicting information as to when the recording was made.
No comments:
Post a Comment