30 January 1975 Lindsay String Quartet Peter Cropper (violin) Ronald Birks (violin) Roger Bigley (viola) Bernard Gregor-Smith (cello) Programme 5p British Music Society 1974-75 Season

Beethoven (1770-1827) BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY OF NORTHERN IRELAND In association with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Under the auspices of Queen's University Arts Centre THIRD RECITAL Quartet in F minor (op. 95) Allegro con brio Allegretto ma non troppo Allegro assai vivace ma serioso Larghetto Allegretto agitato - Allegro This is the last of the five quartets written during Beethoven's 'middle' period, being preceded by the three 'Rasumovsky' quartets (op 59) and the 'Harp' quartet (op 74). It is one of the most compressed in form of the sixteen quartets, and one of the most characteristic of Beethoven's effects of expressive con- trast. Entitled "Quartett serioso", it was written in 1810. Like the op 18/1 quartet, the first movement opens with a bar-length phrase played in octaves by all four instruments. This forms the first half of the first sub- ject. The first five notes of this phrase are highlighted throughout the movement, especially in the development section. The second movement is in ternary form with coda. It is linked to the preceding movement, which ends with a bare octave F, by the first six notes of the descending scale of D major, played by the cello unaccompanied, the initial D acting as a link between the two very remote keys. The movement is pervaded with chromatic colouring, the flattened sixth playing a prominant part. The link between the second and third movements is also worthy of notice. The final D major chord of the second movement is followed by an octave D, followed by a sustained diminished seventh chord; this leads immediately into the third movement. The rhythmic vigour of this Allegro is, at the opening, thrown into relief by the separating of the first two phrases by two succeeding bars rest. The Finale is in rondo form, preceded by a short Larghetto section which anticipates the opening two- note motif of the Allegro. The movement which could well end at the ppp F major chord in bar 132, finishes instead with a light and brilliant coda.

Beethoven Beethoven Quartet in F major (Op. 18/1) Allegro con brio Adagio Scherzo Allegro This is the first of a set of six quartets composed during the years 1798-1800. Although it was published as No. 1 it was the second quartet to be composed. The opus 18 quartets follow closely on the first symphony and still show clearly the influence of Mozart and Haydn. The first movement opens with a short unison motif, barely a bar in length. It is on this motif that the whole movement is based. It is treated sometimes as accom- paniment to a melody, in imitation and counterpoint. The motif, so clear cut and precise, caused Beethoven much trouble in the creating of it. The Adagio is said to be inspired by the tomb scene in 'Romeo and Juliet', and indeed a sketch of part of it bears the inscription 'Les derniers soupirs'. Whether this is true or not, the movement shows a great depth of feeling, as yet rarely felt in Beethoven's earlier music. The Scherzo is a round of continuous modulations and sparkling gaiety. It is still the simple minuet form of Haydn, but the trio already gives glimpses of Beet- hovens modulatory finesse. The Finale again exhibits Beethoven's mastery of rhythm. It is in rondo form, planned on a large scale, as can be felt by the length of the main subject. INTERVAL Quartet in E flat major (Op. 127) Maestoso - Allegro Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile Scherzando vivace Finale - Allegro con moto The composition of the five great quartets occupied the last three years of Beethoven's life. Opus 127 was the first of these and was begun in 1824. Opus 127, unlike the four quartets to follow, is still in the trad- itional four-movement form, and its lyrical beauty is that of the most approachable kind. The introduction, despite the grandly confident tone of the opening, seems to end with a question to which the main theme of the Allegro supplies, perhaps, the only possible answer. The second movement is a theme and variations. The

Next concert Subscriptions harmonic scheme of the theme is simple. It is in two straightforward eight-bar phrases with the melodic interest shared between the first violin and the cello. The first variation keeps close to the outline of the theme, introducing greater rhythmic variety. The second variation is a dialogue, antiphonal rather than contra- puntal, for the two violins against a simple harmonic background. A blatant enharmonic modulation links this to the third variation which presents a kind of simplification of the theme. The fourth variation, although beginning with a new melody, is closer to the theme in essence than any of the others. The rest of the movement may be considered as an extended coda. The Scherzando Vivace is large in scale, elaborate in detail, but simple in its general plan. The persistent dotted-note rhythm of the main section recalls the third movement of opus 95. The Finale employs a lilting leisurely theme of the kind more generally associated with rondo form than the main theme of a fully developed sonata form. The most striking feature, however, is undoubtedly the long coda which is one of Beethoven's strangest and most original. Notes by June Armstrong Saturday 8 February at 7.30 p.m. CRAIG SHEPPARD (piano) Beethoven Albeniz Stockhausen Schumann Sonata in F minor (Appassionata") Iberia, book 3 8 February 21 February 5 April Klavierstück XI Fantasy (op. 17) A special subscription rate is available for tonight's concert and the remaining three concerts in this series: £2.50 for the four concerts (tickets to the individual concerts are 80p). Enquiries to Hart & Churchill Ltd., 33 Queen Street, Belfast BT7 6EA (Tel: 27868). The remaining concerts are: Craig Sheppard Trio di Trieste Ian and Jennifer Partridge