THE BELFAST MUSIC SOCIETY In Association with THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR NORTHERN IRELAND and THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT, QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY DELME STRING QUARTET Galina Solodchin (violin) Jeremy Williams (violin) John Underwood (viola) Stephen Orton (cello) Elmwood Hall 7.30 p.m., 9 February 1985

- 1 - String Quartet in B flat major, Op. 71 no. 1 Jautysh Allegro Adagio Menuetto - Allegretto Vivace Composed in 1793, the six quartets Op. 71 were frequently performed by the violinist and impresario J.P. Salomon during Haydn's second visit to London, earning them the nickname The 'Salomon' Quartets, although they were in fact dedicated to Count Anton Apponyi, who commissioned them. F.J. Haydn (1732-1809) Five very loud chords preface the main Allegro theme. There is no second subject, the music all growing out of the very long main theme, an excellent example of Haydn's monothematicism. The Adagio in C major is in the simplest of three-part forms, with a recapitulation varied by the addition of ornaments to the theme. The sturdy Minuet has a steadily-moving bass line in crotchets, which keeps the music moving at a relentless pace. The finale contains the usual Haydnesque sparkle and wit, with the usual surprise ending. String Quartet in F minor, Op. 95 Allegro con brio Allegretto ma non troppo Allegro assai vivace ma serioso Larghetto - Allegretto agitato - Allegro R.S.N. L. van Beethoven (1770-1827) The 'Quartetto Serioso', as it is sometimes rather uninvitingly called, is held to be one of Beethoven's most concentrated works, and its gruff manner is a portrait of its composer, or rather the abrasive exterior which deafness forced him to adopt. Its position between the middle- period (Rasumovsky and 'Harp') quartets and the late quartets

- 2- makes it hard sometimes to tune one's stylistic perceptions hence perhaps its comparative neglect. The first movement is basically a middle-period sonata movement, but so sudden are its changes of texture and key that one has to listen carefully to follow the logic of the argument. (If you are trying to read the se notes while listening, you will certainly not follow it!) For example, the second subject, in the unorthodox key of D flat major, is interrupted by outbursts of scales in sharp keys. view of such turbulence Beethoven keeps the development section remarkably short. In The second movement begins with a scale on the cello which doubles back - a jibe at the first movement's opening epigram. As in the Seventh Symphony we do not hear a real slow movement, but a gently-moving Allegretto. A sinewy fugue begun by the viola points forward to the contrapuntal preoccupations of the late quartets. The de facto Scherzo which follows without a break is not Beethoven's usual joke. The Trio (smooth broken chords on the first violin) is embedded in the structure of the main material (jagged dotted rhythms). The Larghetto is a mere seven-bar introduction to the Finale, the forward thrust of which is as relentless as that of the first movement was halting. The form is a cross between sonata and rondo, the effect virtually monothematic. The tension winds down for the Allegro, an unexpectedly light coda in F major. Has the whole thing been a prank? Surely not! ******* ****** INTERVAL ********** ****** A.F.C.

- 3- String Quartet in F major, Op. 96, 'American'. Allegro ma non troppo Lento Molto vivace Finale A. Dvořák (1841-1904) This much-loved quartet was written in America in 1893 just after the New World symphony, while Dvořák was enjoying a summer holiday break in a largely Czech settlement in Spillville, Iowa. He sketched most of the work in three days and took only another twelve to complete it. Its spontaneous songlike character makes it a good example of the late-romantic quartet - in the classical form but with much less interest in the formal structure than in the expression of warm, lyrical and subjective themes, poured out in freer rhythms, more remote modulations, and an orchestral style of string writing. A joyous singing quality pervades all four movements of the quartet, and its chief interest is in its pentatonic melodies. There are three in the first movement and a lovely long line is sustained in the slow movement, moving through the violins and cello, with the viola the backbone of the oscillating accompaniment. The scherzo and trio are. strongly rhythmic, and the finale jolly and dance-like, except for a wistful chorale in the middle. Much has been made of Dvořák's interest in negro melody and the music he heard in America, but I hear in this work a personal celebration of Czechoslovakian nationality. H.B.

- 4 - TONIGHT'S ARTISTS The Delme String Quartet was formed in 1962, and spent several years attached to the University of Sussex and later the University of Lancaster. Their concert commitments now. prevent them from holding a regular teaching post, however, although they do teach at the Canford Summer School. The Quartet travels extensively abroad, appearing regularly in West Germany and Austria (Salzburg Festival), in addition to appearing throughout the U.K. The Delme have specialized in the Classical quartet repertoire, but they have also commissioned quartets from leading British composers such as Robert Simpson, John McCabe, Daniel Jones and Wilfred Josephs. The Quartet records for Chandos, with recent recordings of all the late Beethoven Quartets. ****************************** NEXT RECITAL Sunday 3 March, 3.30 p.m. Elmwood Hall ROBERT COHEN (cello) ******** JOHN BUSKIRK (piano) Vivaldi: Cello Sonata 5 in E minor; Bruch: Kol Nidrei; Debussy: Cello Sonata; Chopin: Introduction & Polonaise Brilliant, Op. 3; Rachmaninov: Cello Sonata, Op. 19. *****