Batya MacAdam-Somer & Missy Lukin, violins
Annabelle Terbetski, viola
Elizabeth Brown, cello
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809)
String Quartet Op. 33, No. 3 “The Bird”
Allegro moderato
Scherzo, Allegretto
Adagio ma non troppo
Finale, Presto
Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981)
Strum
INTERMISSION
Danish String Quartet
Last Leaf, The complete Collection
Shore
Polska from Dorotea
Tjønneblomen
Menuet No. 60
Æ Rømeser
Intermezzo
Shine You No More
Drømte Mig En Drøm
Stӕdelil
Naja’s Waltz
Unst Boat Song
Hur Var Du I Aftes Så Sildig
The Dromer
Program Notes
Strum is the culminating result of several versions of a string quintet that I wrote in 2006. It was originally written for the Providence String Quartet and guests of Community MusicWorks Players, then arranged for string quartet in 2008 with several small revisions. In 2012 the piece underwent its final revisions with a rewrite of both the introduction and the ending for the Catalyst Quartet in a performance celebrating the 15th annual Sphinx Competition.
Originally conceived for the formation of a cello quintet, the voicing is often spread wide over the ensemble, giving the music an expansive quality of sound. Within Strum I utilized texture motives, layers of rhythmic or harmonic ostinato that string together to form a bed of sound for melodies to weave in and out. The strumming pizzicato serves as a texture motive and the primary driving rhythmic underpinning of the piece. Drawing on American folk idioms and the spirit of dance and movement, the piece has a kind of narrative that begins with fleeting nostalgia and transforms into ecstatic celebration.
-Jessie Montgomery
Haydn’s 83 string quartets span nearly his entire career, but rather than being written continuously, they appeared in bunches. When the six quartets of his Opus 33 were completed in 1781, they were his first quartets in nine years. Haydn offered handwritten copies of the manuscripts to wealthy patrons, advertising them as having been written “in a quite new, special manner.” Exactly what he meant by this has been the source of some debate, and cynical commentators have felt that Haydn’s enthusiasm for the novelty of these quartets was merely a sales pitch. String Quartet Op. 33 No. 3 “The Bird” takes its nickname from the chirping grace notes that decorate many of its themes. Over steady accompaniment from the middle voices, the first violin announces the main theme of the Allegro moderato. Next, the second movement he marks Scherzando which is different than the sort of scherzo that Beethoven would write a generation later. It is faster than minuet tempo, and surprising accents give the melodic lines unusual weight. The outer sections remain in the lowest registers of all four instruments (it is said of this movement that C major has never sounded so dark as it does here), and the trio section offers several surprises: including a duo for the two violins only, and bringing back some of the “bird music” of the opening movement. The Adagio belongs almost entirely to the first violin its simple opening melody grows florid and complex as the movement unfolds. The finale is a rondo reportedly based on a Slavonic folk tune. This movement, aptly marked Presto, zips along with unflagging energy. Seldom has there been more gloriously apt writing for string quartet, and seldom has there been more cheerful music than this graceful romp, which rushes right to its close and, like smoke, disappears silently and effortlessly.
-Eric Bromberger
Last Leaf, the complete collection is a mix of traditional folk music that has been passed down through an oral tradition and a few newly composed tunes by members of the Danish String Quartet.
Shore is a little folk-fantasy simply inspired by the vast coastline and the many hundreds of islands that form Denmark.
Polska from Dorotea, this tune has a natural sense of gravity and swing, and in almost la follia-like progression. Although the polska dance tends to be a tad slower, we like it when played with “strum und drang”!
Tjønneblomen at first listen may seem very traditional, but it has an unusual five-part structure, revealing that it is a contribution to the modern concert stage, rather than just a traditional dance tune. People still discuss whether the composer wrote it as a tribute to his homestead, or to the girl that he loved but never got…
Menuet no. 60 was part of a collection written down in the 1760’s by Rasmus Storm, one of the earliest collections of Danish folk melodies. Almost half of his melodies were minuets, a sign of how popular this dance was in the latter part of the 18th century.
Æ Rømeser is one of the traditional sonderhonings from the 18th century, the title simply means The one from Rømø (the first island south of Fanø, perhaps the origin of this particular dance).
Intermezzo, just as it sounds, is a little musical break that comes and goes faster than a daydream.
Shine You No More was inspired by a tune by renaissance composer John Dowland called Flow My Tears from 1596.
Drømte Mig En Drøm is notated on the last leaf of parchment in the Codex Runicus, a codex from the beginning of the 13th century, written in runes. It includes the Scanian Law – the oldest know provincial text in Scandinavia – and it chronicles the early Danish monarchs. Most scholars agree that this is a song about justice and fairplay.
Stӕdelil is a traditional Danish ballad telling a story of magic and love. This tune was also arranged for soprano, four-part chorus and piano by Beethoven in the 1810’s.
Naja’s Waltz is an asymmetrical waltz with a little Norwegian touch.
Unst Boat Song is a simple and rather captivating melody. Real Viking music, with the three surviving verses partly in Norse and partly extinguished dialect, suggests that it is very old. It is a song about the strong winds at sea, the difficulties of handling the boat and the prayer for coming home safely.
Hur Var Du I Aftes Så Sildig is a mysterious tune from Storm’s collection with an unusual bar structure of 3+5 making it unsuitable for all known Danish dances in the 18th century.
The Dromer is technically an English dance. In the final decades of the 18th century, dances from the British Isles were very much in fashion in Denmark. This tune later morphed into a Scottish tune which was used to stir up the chiefs and their clans.
About Quartet Nouveau
Quartet Nouveau & Chamber Music Institute formed as a 501 © 3 nonprofit organization in January 2013 with the mission of for making chamber music available to the entire San Diego community. Quartet Nouveau is a string quartet based in San Diego where all four musicians freelance and teach within the community. Known for their fresh approach to classical music, they hope to inspire students to play this very same music one day. The members of Quartet Nouveau all graduated from the nation’s top universities with Masters and Doctoral degrees. These musicians also perform with the San Diego Symphony, The California Chamber Orchestra, Classics 4 Kids Philharmonic, La Jolla Playhouse, and the Old Globe. Quartet Nouveau has performed in school educational outreach concerts students from kindergarten to high school throughout southern California. For more information visit quartetnouveau.org