GREENSBORO – The first concert in the Caspian Music series, “Dialogues,” was given last Sunday evening at the Highland Center for the Art, having as guest artists the Callisto Quartet. The program contained works by Hayden, Schumann and Chaussan in a string quartet, cannonic exercises and a concerto for violin, piano and string quartet respectively.
Joseph Hayden (1732-1809) is known for having brought the string quartet form to maturity, and his “String Quartet in C Major, Op. 76, No.3,” known as “The Emperor,” written in 1799, is a good example of his vibrant musical imagination. “It is not often that a composer hits so exactly upon a form suited to his conceptions; the quartet was Hayden’s natural mode of expressing his feelings” (Otto Jahn). Altogether, he composed 83 quartets over his lifetime. One of the best summaries of Hayden’s creations can be found in Volume 4 of Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians: “All his works are characterized by lucidity, perfect finish, studied moderation, avoidance of meaningless phrases, firmness of design and richness of development. The subjects principal and secondary, down to the smallest episodes, are thoroughly connected, and the whole conveys the impression of being cast in one mould. We admire his inexhaustible invention as shown in the originality of his themes and melodies; the life and spontaneity of the ideas; the clearness which makes his compositions as interesting to amateurs as to the artist; the childlike cheerfulness and drollery which charms away trouble and care” (p. 164).
The first movement (presumably an Allegro, though no notations were given in the program) had a bright introduction with the melody stated right off, developed complexly and brought back with a number of variations, the time shared among the instruments. The second movement (probably an Andante) had the familiar “Emperor” theme that later became the German National Anthem. Again, the masterful scoring of Hayden is evident here in the exploration of the possibilities of this engaging melody. The third movement (with a Scherzo tempo) had a wonderful clarity, while the finale movement had some repeated sharp bowing that juxtaposed with the flow of the music, culminating in a dramatic flair at the end. The Callisto Quartet played this piece with genuine enthusiasm and admirable coordination. Its members are Gregory Lewis and Emma Meinrenken on violins, Eva Kennedy on viola and Hannah Moses on cello.
Robert Schumann (1810-1856) did some experimenting with the recently-invented pedal piano in 1845 in his “Cannonic Etudes, Op. 56,” which had six pieces of which the second and third were given here by Igor Leschishin on oboe, Hannah Moses on cello and Phillip Edward Fisher on piano in a trio of beautifully melded interplay. In No. 2, the initial fine melody was repeated by another instrument in a typical manner like a delayed echo, and a second theme followed in the same pattern, all with a rolling rhythm. In No. 3, the oboe and cello had a veritable conversation, with the piano providing background support. Schumann was a great admirer of Bach and the Baroque era when contrapuntal cannons were popular. All three musicians gave an expressive and well felt interpretation of these two selections.
After intermission, the third number in the concert was the “Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet, Op. 21,” written in 1890-91 by Amedee Ernest Chausson (1855-99).. The composer studied with Cesar Franck from 1880-83 and worked very carefully, producing 39 works in a variety of modes before his premature death in a bicycle accident. “His delicate and sensitive nature was prone to melancholy, while envelopes his music with a veil of sadness and does much to justify a certain formal vagueness and fluidity.” (Grove’s Dictionary, Volume 2, p. 191).
The first movement had the piano starting with strong chords, the strings joining in at an initially slow tempo, then picking up speed with rich harmonies. The featured violin came in with only the piano, and then the music alternated back and forth between the violin-piano duet and full dynamics of the quartet, all blended together with dramatic passages. The second movement had another pleasant theme, with good momentum and relaxed rhythms as well as pizzicotto effects on the strings and flourishes on the piano. The third movement again commenced by the piano in solo with the violin entering slowly, all in a restrained tempo. The piano had blocky chords running up and down the keyboard while the violin followed suit. The fourth movement had another great theme with interesting rhythms and fine piano and violin interweaving, building to a dramatic climax. Solomiya Ivakhiv on violin played with impressive technique and depth of feeling well supported by Phillip Edward Fisher on piano demonstrating his consummate musicianship, integrated fully with the Callisto Quartet. They received a well-deserved standing ovation.
The next concert of the Caspian Music series will August 10, 7:30 p.m., at the Highland Center for the Arts and is titled “Timeless Conversations: from Beethoven to Boyd Meets Girl,” including works by Beethoven, Britten, Dvorak and Robert Boyd. For more information, go online to caspianmondaymusic.org.
David K. Rodgers
David K. Rodgers is a writer, mason and card carrying dilettante, who dabbles and babbles in art. He has lived in East Craftsbury for the past 40 years.
