BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY OF NORTHERN IRELAND 1969-1970 SIXTH RECITAL under the auspices of THE QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST The Hamburg Chamber Orchestra SIR WILLIAM WHITLA HALL Queen's University, Belfast TUESDAY, 24th FEBRUARY, 1970 Price 1/-

Divertimento in F major (K.138) Mozart This is the last of three Divertimenti for strings written in Salzburg in 1772 when Mozart was 16. There are three movements. Trauermusik for viola and strings Hindemith Hindemith was born at Hanau, near Frankfurt-on-Main in 1895. He first became known as a string player for a time he played viola in a String Quartet. He taught in Berlin; then in 1937 he settled in the U.S.A. (Many of his works had been banned in Nazi Germany). In 1952 he became Professor of Music at Zurich and he died in his native Frankfurt six years ago. In addition to the violin and viola, Hindemith played the piano and some wind instruments, and the concept of professionalism is behind his theory of "Gebrauchsmusik". It implied that music was written for utility and not just as a romantic expression of inspir- ation. To quote Scholes: "he regarded Art, in fact, as a social expression and a social influence". His "Trauermusik" (funeral music) was written in 1936, the day after King George V died. It is scored for solo viola and string orchestra. Hindemith himself was the soloist at its first performance. The music is in four linked sections, in the last of which the tune "The Old Hundredth" is introduced. Grosse Fuge, Op. 133 Beethoven The Great Fugue was originally written as the last movement of Beethoven's String Quartet in B flat major, Op.130, which he com- pleted in 1825. Beethoven came to the conclusion that it was too big for this purpose and published it separately. Tovey said it was "incomparibly the most gigantic fugue in existence". Not only was the fugue too big for the listeners, but it was a bit too much for the players as well and it is still regarded as one of the most difficult feats for a professional quartet. The style of the piece is such that it translates well for a string orchestra. There is a short introduction in which the main theme appears in four versions; after a short pause the double fugue begins "fortissimo". INTERVAL

Serenade in C major, Op. 48 Sonatina Waltz Elegy Finale Tchaikovsky When Tchaikovsky began work on this Serenade, he was uncertain whether it was to be a String Quartet or a Symphony but he eventu- ally decided to make it a Serenade in four movements. Written in 1881 and first performed in Moscow on 28th January, 1882, this has been described by a biographer as "one of the most charming works Tchaikovsky bequeathed to the musical world". In the first movement there are two principal subjects, of which the second is an old world air. This is followed by a waltz with a Viennese flavour. With the Elegy a mood of sadness is introduced into what is otherwise a very cheerful work. The Finale is based on two Russian folk songs the first of which has its home on the tow-path of the Volga, but is not the Volga boat-song! The second is a Moscow street song the essence of which lies in its many naive repetitions giving Tchaikovsky the opportunity for very varied treatment. This movement resembles the finale of the second Symphony both in its construction and in its characteristic treat- ment of national music. s Members are asked to make every effort to avoid coughing during the performance

NEXT CONCERTS: In lieu of The Quartetto di Roma there will be a recital by PRO ARTE QUARTET on Friday, March 20th, 1970. Saturday, April 11th 1970 ALEXANDER OLIVER Tenor ALASDAIR GRAHAM Piano Music for a while Evening Hynin: Turn, turn thine eyes Song-cycle: Dichterliebe, Op. 48 Heimliche Aufforderung Die Nacht Herr Lenz L'invitation au voyage Extase Phidyle E'en as a lovely flower Yarmouth Fair Purcell Purcell Schumann Richard Strauss Richard Strauss Richard Strauss Richard Strauss Duparc Duparc Frank Bridge Peter Warlock