The String Quartet A LIFE Institute Course Session Three Bob Fabian http://LIFEcourses.ca/Quartet
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The String Quartet
A LIFE Institute CourseSession Three
Bob Fabianhttp://LIFEcourses.ca/Quartet
Carryover – The Baryton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl6yZL4XqDE
Focus: 2 Troubled Giants
● “The two most played string quartet composers” ...● Franz Schubert 1797-1828
● Troubled family background● Great lyrical power
● Ludwig van Beethoven 1770-1827● Father a drunken tyrant● Great emotional depth
● Not just Germans – also French Jadin brothers● Hyacinthe Jadin 1776-1800● Louis-Emmanuel Jadin 1768-1853
World Events 1811 - 1820
● 1811: Independence declared in Venezuela, Bolivia & Columbia● 1812: Luddites begin to destroy English spinning machinery● 1812: War between England (Canada) and the United States● 1812: Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia begins● 1813: Laura Secord walks 20 miles to warn Canada● 1814: Negotiated treaty ends North American War of 1812● 1815: Russian and Prussian forces enter Paris● 1815: Mount Tambora, Indonesia, spews enough ash to cause
famine during the next year (serious temperature drop)● 1819: 60,000 English gather to demand universal suffrage
Franz Schubert 1797-1828
● Father ran an Austrian boy's school● Musical talent not respected by his father● Rebelled, left teaching at age 21● Nicknamed Schwammerl (A Little Mushroom)● Only small circle of musical admirers● Appreciation came only after death● Composed
– 600+ songs (piano & voice)– 20 stage works– 7 complete symphonies– 20 string quartets
Death & the Maiden, Matthias Claudius
● Das Mädchen:– Vorüber! Ach, vorüber!
– Geh, wilder Knochenmann!
– Ich bin noch jung! Geh, lieber,
– Und rühre mich nicht an.
– Und rühre mich nicht an.
● Der Tod:– Gib deine Hand, du schön und
zart Gebild!
– Bin Freund, und komme nicht, zu strafen.
– Sei gutes Muts! ich bin nicht wild,
– Sollst sanft in meinen Armen schlafen!
● The Maiden:– Pass me by! Oh, pass me by!
– Go, fierce man of bones!
– I am still young! Go, rather,
– And do not touch me.
– And do not touch me.
● Death:– Give me your hand, you beautiful
and tender form!
– I am a friend, and come not to punish.
– Be of good cheer! I am not fierce,
– Softly shall you sleep in my arms!
Death & the Maiden, song
Schubert, Op. 7, No. 3https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgvM0g4fGBE
Quartet Explained & Illustrated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obz-GP6_q2U
Just the quartet ...
String Quartet No 14 D minor Death and the Maiden Alban Berg Quartet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udeeqbCI9mM
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770-1827
● Grandfather, Ludwig van Beethoven, was successful musician
● Father, Johann van Beethoven, was much less successful
● But Johann had visions of his Ludwig being a second Mozart
● 1792 studied with Joseph Haydn in Vienna; played JS Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier at van Swieten's salon
● 1793 established reputation as piano virtuoso ● Became increasingly deaf and increasingly
cantankerous ● Revered as one of Europe's most profound composers
Fiercely Independent Romantic
“What you are, is by accident of birth;What I am, I created myself.
There are, and have been, thousands of princes;There is only one Beethoven.”
Ludwig van Beethoven
● The artist exists to serve his art (and mankind)● He may need patronage, but the art comes first● A new 19th century view of art and the artist
BBC Explains Beethoven
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNoZw6Im86k
Beethoven late String Quartets
● Opus 127: String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat major (1825)● Opus 130: String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat major (1825)● Opus 131: String Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp minor (1826)● Opus 132: String Quartet No. 15 in A minor (1825)● Opus 133: Große Fuge in B-flat major for string quartet
(1826), originally the finale to Op. 130● Opus 135: String Quartet No. 16 in F major (1826)
His last major, completed compositions
Great Fugue (animated score)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s0Mp7LFI-k from Royalty-Free Classical Music (dot com)
Great Performance of Great Fugue
Alban Berg Qurrtethttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEZXjW_s0Qs
And a version for orchestra ...
NDR Sinfonie-OrchesterChristoph von Dohnányi, conductor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_weEGDmtpSI`
Vienna was the centre, but ...
● Musicians did travel widely● London featured Handel, Haydn & Mendelssohn ● The Russian court drew artists to St. Petersburg
● Example: The Jadin brothers– Louis-Emmanuel Jadin 1768 -1853
– Born in Versailles, head of Paris Conservatory
– Hyacinthe Jadin 1776 – 1800– Born in Versailles, moved to Paris
– Two of five musically gifted brothers
Louis-Emmanuel Jadin
String Quartet No. 2 in F minor (published 1814)
Quartetto Manfredi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arcbfhIkr4o
Hyacinthe Jadin
● String Trio in G-Dur Op.2/2 (1797)
members of Takeuchi String Quartethttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPehAjh6rjM
Coming … (current plan)
● Next week – Feb 24● Felix & Fanny Mendelssohn● Robert & Clara Schumann
● Week Five – Mar 2● Johannes Brahms● Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
● Week Six – Mar 9● Benjamin Britten● Heitor Villa-Lobos
plus a few extras
Ending Bon-Bon ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT3SBzmDxGk
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