THE BELFAST MUSIC SOCIETY in association with THE ARTS COUNCIL OF NORTHERN IRELAND and THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT, QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY presents LONTANO INGRID CULLIFORD (Flute) RUTH CROUCH (Violin) PAUL SILVERTHORNE (Viola) JANE SALMON ('Cello) IMOGEN BARFORD (Harp) Saturday 28 February 1987 7.30 p.m. Elmwood Hall

Quartet in D major for flute and strings, K285 Allegro Adagio Rondo 1 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Mozart set off from Salzburg in September 1777 on a trip to Paris via Munich and Mannheim, in the hope of making new contacts and perhaps finding a more congenial post in music than he currently enjoyed in his small home town. He tarried in Mannheim rather longer than he should because he had fallen in love with a young singer, Aloysia Weber, and one of the projects he used to keep himself there was a commission to write some works for a rich Dutch amateur flautist. Mozart was rather distracted and they were never all finished. Indeed the flute writing in this pleasant little quartet rather suggests that Mozart had the voice of his inamorata in his mind as he wrote! (Incidentally, by the time Mozart saw Miss Weber again on his return journey, she had, to his chagrin, moved her attentions elsewhere.) The first movement, in sonata form, opens with a lyrical flute tune supported by the strings. It develops continuously through a long transition to the dominant with a certain amount of note-spinning from the flute. The strings first present the little downward phrase of the second subject. The development is notable for the pathos of its move through both dominant and tonic minor keys, with characteristic sighing motifs. The recapitulation is regular, though the transition contains more virtuoso flute pl ng, and there are some disconcerting rests in the little coda. The middle movement is a delicious little opera ariosa for flute with pizzicato accompaniment. The 8-bar tune in B minor is developed for eight bars, moves to D major for a further eight, and returns, ending with a query which leads directly to the finale, a light fast rondo. The main tune

is followed by an episode with two ideas in tonic and dominant, and after an exact repeat of the rondo, a second episode mainly in G major. The next return of the rondo is varied and developed before its perky opening bars end the quartet. Sonata for violin and cello 2 Allegro Tres vif Lent Vif Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) In 1920 Ravel was asked to write a short piece in memory of Debussy for a special supplement the periodical Revue Musicale. to the December issue of (Stravinsky was also among the ten composers who responded to this memorial.) Ravel contributed a Duo for violin and cello which became the first movement of this sonata. He continued to work on the sonata for another year, and it was first performed in April 1922. In his dedication of a work to Debussy, Ravel wanted to set himself a technical problem in admiration of the senior composer's prowess. Both composers had also become interested in the music of earlier periods, and perhaps Bach's solo cello suites entered Ravel's mind as a model. The sonata is set in careful balanced formal structures of a kind in which Debussy had always been interested, with relationships between the themes of all the movements, but the listener hears more the interweaving of the two melodic lines, and the harmony and rhythms resulting from this interplay. The first movement is a contrapuntal argument between the two instruments, built on the opening idea, heard first on the cello. It develops continuously, with a recapitulation of the opening at the two-thirds point. The

3 lively second movement juxtaposes pizzicato and bowed passages, while the ambiguity of tonality in the first movement is here extended at times to virtual bi-tonality. The ternary slow movement opens with a calm cello melody, taken up by the violin. The stormy middle section leads to a muted return to calm. The finale is a sort of dance, with much interplay of unequal rhythms, on some of which Ravel asked the cellist 'to bounce [his] bow like a mechanical rabbit'. The contrapuntal interplay between the variety of themes and rhythms builds at last to an almost surprising final chord of C major. * * * * * * * INTERVAL Sonata for flute, viola and harp (1915) Claude Debussy (1862-1918) Pastorale (Lento, dolce rubato) Interlude (Tempo di menuetto) Final (Allegro moderato ma risoluto) When World War One broke out Debussy found himself unable to compose for many months, but in the summer of 1915 he 67169 suddenly found inspiration, writing his Etudes for piano, and turning for the first time since his string quartet of 1893 to chamber music. The Sonata for 'Cello and tonight's work were both completed within three months in 1915, and published as the first and second of 'Six Sonatas for divers instruments', but Debussy, already mortally ill, was only able to finish the violin sonata in 1917, and the final three works of the set existed only in his mind. Debussy called these works 'sonatas' more from the meaning of the word 'to sound' than as essays in the formal structures of classical sonatas. In the sonata for

4 flute, viola and harp he obviously appreciated the challenge. of writing for such an unusual but lyrical combination of instruments, but he also had in mind the clarity and grace of 18th century French music. All three movements oscillate around the key, almost the mode, of F, the middle movement exploring keys on the flat side (A flat, C, F minor), and all three rely for structure on simple alternation of several ideas or themes, with contrasting middle sections. The opening Pastoral leads gently through two melodic ideas recalling the piping of shepherds' flutes, linked by bare harp fifths and developing in animated fashion. The middle section, marked 'lively and joyous', features dotted rhythms, subsiding for a return to the opening ideas recalled in reverse order with flute and viola fading away into the distance together. In the Interlude Debussy evokes the atmosphere of the 18th century minuet, but seen through a mist of remembrance. An introductory flute tune links the movement with the preceding Pastoral, but transforms itself into the main minuet theme on viola, accompanied by harp chords. Most of the developmental material, including the faster middle section, is built on the flute and viola roulades. which form part of the second idea, itself begun by a harp solo. The chordal minuet keeps returning though and ends the movement, dying away like the shepherd tune of the Pastoral. It is followed by a free-wheeling rustic dance, at times joyous, at times gypsy-like, at times almost primitive, like Stravinsky's Rite of Spring; indeed it. could be a dance to herald the spring. A reminiscence of the opening of the whole sonata halts the dance just before it whirls to its conclusion.

Movement for String Trio in B flat major, D471 5 of his music After Schubert's tragically early death most was left in a disordered state, and much was incomplete. All that remains of a string trio from 1816 is this first allegro movement and a fragment of an andante. It may or may not ever have been finished, but Schubert would have written it for music-making either within his family circle. or for the jolly bunch of friends who in that year had begun to meet regularly in digs in Vienna for musical evenings. which became known as 'Schubertiads'. The composer always had something prepared for them: songs, piano pieces or ch ber music. Schubert had trained as a teacher and was by now working, rather unwillingly, in his father's school, and though still taking lessons from the famous Viennese musician Salieri, was beginning to launch himself as a composer. d Serenade for flute, violin, In This movement shows that he was certainly ready to do so. A neat movement in sonata form, it already shows many of Schubert's hallmarks, such as a delight in constant rhythmic variation, interest in juxtaposition between unison playing and harmony, and love of sudden changes between soft and loud. The development is nearly all based on a little cadential idea from the second subject group, and as is common with Schubert, the recapitulation is virtually exact, except for the changes needed to retain the tonic key throughout. Franz Schubert (1797-1828) viola, cello and harp, Op. 30 Allegro Andante Presto Albert Roussel (1869-1937) Roussel was a latecomer to a musical career, having trained first as a naval officer, travelling particularly to the Far

East. But he became more and more interested in composition, eventually resigning his commission and enrolling as one of the first students at the Schola Cantorum in Paris in 1898, studying under Vincent d'Indy. By 1902 he became a professor there, teaching, among others, Satie, Varèse and Martinu. After service in World War One, bad health led to Roussel's retirement, but the 20s and 30s were for him a period of much musical composition. His music, which includes ballets, four symphonies, and a quantity of delightful chamber music, seems not to be heard much at the moment, which is a pity, as this serenade shows. Roussel actively supported young composers and performers and contemporary music festivals and societies. The serenade was written in 1925 for the Paris Festival of the Société Musicale Independante, and particularly for the flautist René le Roy. Roussel's main interest is in the contrasting sonorities of his five chosen instruments, and the structure of the three movements is simple. The first movement in C major has two themes. The first is a pliable, typically French melody, heard first on flute after the accompaniment pattern as been set up by the other instruments. It is taken up by viola and cello together and then the violin. A harp glissando heralds a faster second idea in the mediant which is rhythmically snappier and features downwards arpeggios on flute and harp. A period of flux and development leads to a return of the opening material, first in the flattened dominant and then back in C major, though with changes in its contours and accompaniment, and the fast tempo of the second idea builds into an exciting coda. The middle movement is ternary in form. A very static. chordal accompaniment, based on a modal G, suggests an antique minuet in 6/4 time, but allowing all the attention to be given to a beautiful flute tune. As it fades away, the harp enters quietly, beginning a mysterious middle section from which a cello melody arises. Note the

7 heightened string and harp accompaniment surrounding the flute on its return. Ostinato-like march rhythms dominate the finale, which is also ternary in form and back in C major. All instruments play an equal part, both in the first section and in the slightly slower middle section, with some unusual glissando effects in violin and harp before the march dies away. Programme notes by Hilary Bracefield ************ TONIGHT'S ARTISTS INGRID CULLIFORD has established herself as a soloist and chamber music player of all styles and periods. She is known especially for her work with the ensemble LONTANO, with whom she has appeared as a soloist many times, receiving excellent critical acclaim. She performs frequently in Europe and records regularly for the BBC Radio 3, not only with LONTANO but also the Koenig and Endymion Ensembles, and the London Sinfonietta. During the last year, Ms. Culliford was soloist in Bach's suite in B minor, Brandenburg concertos 4 and 5, Nigel Osborne's Flute Concerto, a Vivaldi Piccolo Concerto, and the flute part in Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto. In 1986 she undertook a tour of her native New Zealand, giving recitals, masterclasses and broadcasts. RUTH CROUCH was born in 1956 and won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in 1973, where she studied with Emmanuel Hurwitz. In 1977 she studied with Max Rostal in Bern on a number of scholarships and since her return has played frequently with the London Sinfonietta, Nash and Koenig Ensembles, as well as being the leader of the

8 Schubert Ensemble and LONTANO. She is also active as a recitalist and soloist. PAUL SILVERTHORNE is one of the most sought after British viola players. He was a founder member of the Medici String Quartet, with whom he gave concerts all over the world, and since leaving in 1983 he has been very much in demand, both as a soloist and for chamber music. He is a member of the Arion Trio, with Nona Liddell and Charles Tunnell, and has lately joined the chamber group, Capricorn. He also appears regularly as principal viola of the The London Sinfonietta and The Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Long-familiar to Radio Three listeners from quartet broadcasts, he is at resen concentrating on recital work for the BBC. Paul Silverthorne was a pupil of Max Gilbert at the Royal Academy of Music, where he won all the major viola prizes and was awarded a Recital Diploma. The Academy generously loans him the magnificent viola on which he plays: an unusually large and beautiful example of the work of the Brothers Amati, made in 1620. JANE SALMON read music at Clare College Cambridge and studied the cello with Amaryllis Fleming and Johannes Goritzki. She won a number of prizes and scholarships and in 1984 was one of six chosen for promotion by Young Concert Artists Trust resulting in engagements at festivals and concert clubs throughout the country. Last July she performed Bonhennis G major cello concerto at the City of London Festival, relayed by Radio 3 and she toured the U.S.A. in December 1985 and 1986. Her duo with pianist Catherine Edwards has given several prize recitals at the Purcell Rooms and Wigmore Hall. She is a founder member of Endymion and the Schubert Ensemble of London and with these groups and others she has made many recordings for radio and TV and toured abroad to Europe and several countries in the Far East. Future tours to Mexico, U.S.A. and Malaysia are happening later in the year.

9 IMOGEN BARFORD read music at Newnham College, Cambridge, and studied the harp with Renata Scheffel-Stein at the Royal Academy of Music where she won the Recital Diploma. She has attended masterclasses at World Harp Congresses since the age of 11, and has latterly been invited there as a guest recitalist. Among her numerous prizes and scholarships are awards from the Countess of Munster Trust, the British Council, and the International Music Service prize at the 1983 International Harp Competition on the Isle of Man. Imogen now has a wide-ranging freelance career encompassing orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, London Symphony, English Chamber and Philharmonia Orchestra; chamber ensembles such as LONTANO, Aquarius, the Endymion Ensemble and the Grosvenor Chamber Group; early music groups such as the New London Consort and Taverner Consort and Gothic Voices; and opera and ballet work. In the past two years her career has taken her to France, Spain, Norway, Italy, Israel and Northern Ireland. She has made several records and has broadcast on BBC TV and Radio as well as on Italian and Israeli television. *** NEXT RECITAL Saturday 14 March. 7.30 p.m. Elmwood Hall DMITRI and TANYA ALEXEEV (Piano Duet) *******