I. Largo
I liked how Shostakovich immediately started the quartet with the DSCH theme, psychologically preparing the listener for the masterpiece that Shostakovich will unfold (as his works do). Not only that, but the fact that it is played by the cello, the lowest instrument in pitch, makes it sombre and the monophonic texture creates a feel of solitude. The dynamics 'p' make it all the more mysterious and subtle. I really liked how the instruments imitate each other and the way he does it is very logical: starting with the lowest in pitch, cello, followed by the viola, second violin and finally first violin, who all start at higher pitches than the previous one. This very much reminded me of Lotti's vocal piece 'Crucifixus' for eight parts, where the lower basses start and each voice enters three notes after the previous one, all ascending in pitch and finishing the imitation with the top sopranos. However, I don't really think that is where the idea was derived from. The listener becomes confused in terms of tonality as Shostakovich uses many chromatic notes and a mixture of minor and major chords that he throws in at unexpected times. I don't know why and I don't know how he does it, but from the anacrusis of bar 12, it sounds like an organ, with the first and second violin and cello playing his DSCH motif in octaves and the viola holding a pedal G. It felt eerie, but I nevertheless, liked it. I fail to understand why Shostakovich put an ' sfpp' for the first violin but only a 'pp' for the rest of the quartet. Perhaps he wanted to highlight the end of his DSCH theme and to emphasise the beginning of a new 'melody' (as he used this in his first symphony that he wrote when he was 19 years old). The listener is even more confused when the violin 2 at bar 17 has a chromatic and syncopated passage (again in terms of tonality). The espressivo has been made clear, not only by the performance direction 'poco espress.' but also by the crescendos and diminuendos in consecutive bars, for instance bar 13 and 14 in the second violin part. I like how Shostakovich also includes his DSCH motif played underneath the main melody; this first happened in the viola in bars 9-11 and again in the second violin where it says 'solo' at bar 15. It's cever how the second violin gives the C sharp to the viola at bar 19; without the score, one would never be able to tell that it was two different instruments playing. The A flat tie in the second violin part at bar 24 creates a wonderful suspension until finally, for the first time, a key of C minor is established at the cadence (bar 26). At section B, the violin one has a falling chromatic line whilst the rest of the strings play their lowest notes: pedal G in the second violin and C in the viola and cello. I loved how he starts the chromatic violin passage on the second beat, giving a syncopated feel. Here, all strings are 'pp' which, in my case, made me suspicious as to what was coming next and where Shostakovich was going with this. It also made me intrigued, what could he have possibly been thinking of when he wrote this passage? At bar 33, the violin plays and F flat. Its' enharmonic equivalent being an E natural, this nicely transforms into a C major chord (lower string pedal notes C and G). Shostakovich deceives us into thinking he is taking us to a new direction with this major chord, but the violin one falls a semitone lower, making it an E flat, and thus we are in the minor again. I think this false sense of security, if you like, makes the listener uncomfortable and we can really understand that we are in the depths of his depression. Not easy to listen to. The repeated melody (B flat, A flat, G) in the violin one part at bar 39 gives the music shape and reassures the listener that there is a structure to this section, it is not mere random notes! Despite the many dissonances and uneasy feel, I think it is a beautiful melody. The emptiness created at bar 45 when the violin one plays monophonic really gives a sense of lonliness and solitude. I thought it was really clever how the cello interrupted with the DSCH theme, especially the fact that it was 'pp' really made it sneaky.
Section C has the whole ensemble playing, a homophonic texture with the violin passing the melody (C, G, G A flat, G) to the second violin after the latters' previous pedal G. I love this section as it is almost like a duet, with a countermelody in the second violin created whilst the violin one has a new melody. D flat is a brilliant note to use here, it just confuses the tonality again and wants to modulate to F minor ( or A flat major perhaps?). Although there is a duo here and maybe even dialogue between the first and second violin, the pedal in the lower strings reminds us of the feeling of isolation and emptiness. Probably the best part in this section is bars 68-70 where sequence is used to ascend in pitch in the second violin line, starting with a B natural and a crescendo to an A flat which is the second violins' highest note so far.
Shostakovich created a sense of unity when finally the pedal notes end, and all strings are playing at the same time, making it homorhythmic. Here, his ciper is played but with unusual chords supporting it, moving from a G major to E flat minor and F major. They then play 'mf' for the first time in about 70 bars but only for a short while as it is immediately written 'dim' with the next bar being 'p' again. I really like how the cello then has a chromatic line and how it is the only instrument that is really moving. But there is a stronger sense of tonality here, with the first and second violins in thirds. There is a major chord but yet again, we return to the cipher and even more emotions of despair are conveyed as the first violin drops out and leaves the second violin to have a solo bar of the C GG A flat G theme and finally the lower strings crescendo-ing to the next movement.
II. Allegro molto
The tonality is still minor, (B minor) but the tonality is clear and emphasised by the 'sfff' chords in the lower strings and violin 2. The violin one plays very much allegro for a long time until the whole ensemble plays: the cello steals the fast passage and the rest of the strings have furious double stops. The feeling is no longer depression but stronger feelings of hatred, anger and hostility. As in the first movement, many chromatic notes. I very much loved how the DSCH theme appeared and how it was playd rather marcato. I also loved how it was passed on to other strings almost like a stretto. Even when you think it has gone, it comes back again in the cello. It is then augmented by the upper strings playing in octaves before they play triplets and dissonat melodies which clash against each other, reinforcing the emotive music. Then, the lower strings take over the melody. The texture is very much a mix of homophonic and polyphonic. There are many crescendos and 'sfff's written all over the music. Double stops are repeated, each one stabbing at you. The tension is immense, especially with the imitation. I loved it when the cello plays really low in pitch, it really contradicts the high pitched violins. This piece is very revolutionary, perhaps conveying his hatred for the Communist party and reluctance to join it, or perhaps it was about his incurable illness which he had just been diagnosed. My favourite part in this movement is at rehearsal mark 33 where the second violin plays tripleted arpeggios, creating a furious feel and you can really hear every note at this wild speed. It sounds very russian, I love it.
III. Allegretto
This one is my favourtie movement with the second one as well. As in the first movement, he begin with his DSCH theme but this time in the first violin, who also plays monophonic. The second violin entry is a trill on a B natural (key signature here is clear, G minor).The first time it is 'fff' with a crescendo! The second trill is 'p' which makes it mysterious. In this movement, he very much experiments with the timbres and capabilities of the instruments. The time signature change to 3/4 gives it an dance-like feel, especially with the cello playing an almost 'oom cha cha'.
The pitch increases in this movement, which contrasts the low pitches of the first movement, even in the second violin who has an top E. The 'ff' pizzicato in the second violin is really rough and rude, and interrupts the melody in the first violin. The notes almost disagree with each other in the first and second violin who have the same rhythm after the 'ff' pizz in the second violin. Stretto is used when the melody is passed from lowest to highest (in pitch) instrument which made me think of a dispute. I thought it was very adventurous of Shostakovich to have the second violin play and d and e natural 'f' whilst the others play in a minor key, also the fact that it dotted rhythms and the others have much shorter lengthed notes. The again furious temper and argument between the first and second violin are conveyed after the second violin sextuplet, where both have contrasting chromatic notes. I love it! The constant change of the time signature shows the indecisiveness in the argument. Shostakovich uses a melody he once used in I think one of his cello concertos, (if it wasnt that one, well i know it was one of his other masterpieces) at rehearsal mark 43 where the cello has the melody and the other strings have the same rhythm, staccato. I love the unsettling atmosphere created when one of the lower strings have the melody and the accompaniment in the rest of the ensemble is rapid chromatic notes. What a brilliant composer.
IV. Largo
A different performance direction is used 'pesante' which makes it sound very heavy, contrasting with the previous staccato used in the third movement. The pedal note in the cello makes it very uneasy against the ff rhythm played by the upper string. I didnt like the major chord he threw in. H e changes dynamics very quickly in this piece at the beginning. The pedal note is passed around to all instruments, and this is very much like the first movment. It has the same tempo and is more depressing and sad than the middle two movements. One instruments nearly always has the tune, with the others sustaining a pedal note. The pitch is much lower here, than in the previous two movments. The first violin plays a melody and for a while, it is major, but somehow Shostakovich makes it sound very sad. Perhaps he is trying to convey some sort of hope, and saying that optimism is just a lie. He brings back the pessimistic opening again and at the end, the last thing we hear is the cello playing the DSCH theme, low at pitch and slow in rhythm.
V. Largo
This is almost a recapitulation, if one dares call it that, of the first movement. They differ in a way that the texture is not monophonic but homophonic and in some bars contrapuntal. It starts with the cello playing the cipher but with other instruments accompanying and also has the other themes in there that were played in the first movement. The overall feeling is very much depression in this movement, but this time it is definite. Suspensions are used here, with an A flat in the second violin as in the first movement, before finally making a 'decision' and establishing the mood and tonality of the piece. Again, instruments play by themselves, making it lonely and it's almost speaks 'this is the end...' They have shorter rhythms (diminution) than in the first movement which was mainly crotchets, minims and semibreves. There is no use of pizzicato here, but 'con sord' which makes it even quiter, making it sound like the end. I just realised, at the end, Shostakovich wrote 'morendo'- die away. Powerful music. It really is the end.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Saturn, The Bringer of Old Age, The Planets, Holst
Saturn, The Bringer of Old Age:
The notes played 'piano' by the flutes and harp were not diatonic, which immediatey imposed the unsettling atmosphere of the piece. I thought that the way the basses crept in created more suspense and this became even harder to listen to as the syncopation was introduced. Each instrument enters offbeat, easily recognised by the oboe entry, which was imitated by the violins at a louder dynamic. Then the cor anglais has the tune, followed by the horns, so we could see a clear progression and structure.The flutes and harp do not change for a long time, creating an ostinato effect until the basses and cellos take over with their more proceeding pizzicatos. The Horn had a really good timbre for the piece and the melody was slightly easier to listen to.
I really liked the almost stretto used as the first violins entered followed by the seconds who played with the oboe. The cresecendo was really effective and the increasingly amount of vibrato used in the strings gave it a really rich sound, in contrast to the purposely unhealthy and weak sound created by the flutes at the beginning and later on when they get the melody, accompanied by pizz in the lower strings. The texture remains homophonic even as the harp enters and woodwind. Then, the brass, at an even louder dynamic, come in with the same melody. There is tension as the brass crescendo and eventually belt it out whilst the rest of the orchestra play crotchets on beat 2 and 4. What made that really effective, was that when the brass first entered, they played, diplomatically, if you like, or stately but then it became really aggressive and more and more in your face. I really loved this moment of the piece.
The syncopation makes it very difficult to listen to, but I really enjoyed it, and the climax was amazing. The tublar bells really stood out in the music, despite the melody in the lower brass.
The first violins play a few bars of quieter music to show it's over.
Again, syncopation is used between the flutes and the harp. Shortly after, a polyphonic texture is created with flutes having one tune and the brass playing the melody at a soft dynamic. Then the violins come in quitely as well.
The ending is unusual, well it's not how you would expect it to be. The violins playing in their higher register made it floaty and peaceful. The texture was more or less homophonic with the woodwind sustaining their notes too. Perhaps this was reflecting old age and the representing the more peaceful side of it and tranquility.
The notes played 'piano' by the flutes and harp were not diatonic, which immediatey imposed the unsettling atmosphere of the piece. I thought that the way the basses crept in created more suspense and this became even harder to listen to as the syncopation was introduced. Each instrument enters offbeat, easily recognised by the oboe entry, which was imitated by the violins at a louder dynamic. Then the cor anglais has the tune, followed by the horns, so we could see a clear progression and structure.The flutes and harp do not change for a long time, creating an ostinato effect until the basses and cellos take over with their more proceeding pizzicatos. The Horn had a really good timbre for the piece and the melody was slightly easier to listen to.
I really liked the almost stretto used as the first violins entered followed by the seconds who played with the oboe. The cresecendo was really effective and the increasingly amount of vibrato used in the strings gave it a really rich sound, in contrast to the purposely unhealthy and weak sound created by the flutes at the beginning and later on when they get the melody, accompanied by pizz in the lower strings. The texture remains homophonic even as the harp enters and woodwind. Then, the brass, at an even louder dynamic, come in with the same melody. There is tension as the brass crescendo and eventually belt it out whilst the rest of the orchestra play crotchets on beat 2 and 4. What made that really effective, was that when the brass first entered, they played, diplomatically, if you like, or stately but then it became really aggressive and more and more in your face. I really loved this moment of the piece.
The syncopation makes it very difficult to listen to, but I really enjoyed it, and the climax was amazing. The tublar bells really stood out in the music, despite the melody in the lower brass.
The first violins play a few bars of quieter music to show it's over.
Again, syncopation is used between the flutes and the harp. Shortly after, a polyphonic texture is created with flutes having one tune and the brass playing the melody at a soft dynamic. Then the violins come in quitely as well.
The ending is unusual, well it's not how you would expect it to be. The violins playing in their higher register made it floaty and peaceful. The texture was more or less homophonic with the woodwind sustaining their notes too. Perhaps this was reflecting old age and the representing the more peaceful side of it and tranquility.
Jupiter, The Planets, Gustav Holst
Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity,
The use of of semiquavers in the second violins quickly followed by the firsts was effective in creating a lively and jolly atmosphere. Even more so when joined by the brass, who had the melody which was syncopated. Holst used silence before the whole orchestra came in, with a crash of the cymbals and tremelos in the strings. Imitation between the brass and strings and playing around with the melody suits the title well. The accidentals did not sound out of place and the clash in the tremelo in the strings (second violins had an E and an F) worked. Holst repeats his use of silence before the start of another melody. The small accelerando made it sound jolly and the timbres of the flutes with the oboes and triangle in a relatively high register made it sound jolly.
I really liked the time signature, it changed to 3/4 and the horns had the melody with the strings playing chords at the beginning of every bar. Again, Holst puts in an accelerando. It gets exciting as the texture changes to polyphonic with the each instrument taking over the melody: the trumpets take over the horns, followed by the woodwind and then strings. The entrance of the tambourine was good too for creating a happy mood. The woodwind had triplets and then the strings joined them as well as, I think, the vibraphone whilst the brass had the tune.
The key change was very good and the timpani was really articulate which followed through to the woodwind who had the melody. Whilst they had the melody, the violas and cellos played really fast pizzicatos which created an interesting homophonic texture.
I thought the fact that Holst wrote a woodwind section which was then followed by strings worked really well in terms of structure.
The melody in the string section was really pretty and happy. I heard the modulation which was not abrupt or unnecessary. I liked that the strings were in unison and that the brass and woodwind provided accompaniment. He keeps changing that, as straight after, each woodwind instruments gets a little solo and the strings accompany them with trills. I particularly liked the oboe solo.
I also liked how Holst gave semiquavers, as in the beginning, to instruments who did not have the melody, to be played under those who did. What I especially like was the dynamics, the fact that it was kept piano told us something was coming.
The, dare I say, recapitulation (?) came back again nicely. The strucure worked. I liked how he changed the instrumentation. For example, the woodwind had the melody at the 3/4 which the horn had previously but then the horn took it again.
The next section was a little odd, with the rapid scalic passages in the violins and flutes (and piccolo?). The chromatic scale beneath the melody played by brass created a really nice almost polyphonic texture and then brought us back to the final section of the music, the end, where the time signature changes again and the upper woodwind and upper strings have the quavers with a B flat accidental and then brass have their last syncopated melody. It was a very happy piece of music and the last, forte cadence established that.
The use of of semiquavers in the second violins quickly followed by the firsts was effective in creating a lively and jolly atmosphere. Even more so when joined by the brass, who had the melody which was syncopated. Holst used silence before the whole orchestra came in, with a crash of the cymbals and tremelos in the strings. Imitation between the brass and strings and playing around with the melody suits the title well. The accidentals did not sound out of place and the clash in the tremelo in the strings (second violins had an E and an F) worked. Holst repeats his use of silence before the start of another melody. The small accelerando made it sound jolly and the timbres of the flutes with the oboes and triangle in a relatively high register made it sound jolly.
I really liked the time signature, it changed to 3/4 and the horns had the melody with the strings playing chords at the beginning of every bar. Again, Holst puts in an accelerando. It gets exciting as the texture changes to polyphonic with the each instrument taking over the melody: the trumpets take over the horns, followed by the woodwind and then strings. The entrance of the tambourine was good too for creating a happy mood. The woodwind had triplets and then the strings joined them as well as, I think, the vibraphone whilst the brass had the tune.
The key change was very good and the timpani was really articulate which followed through to the woodwind who had the melody. Whilst they had the melody, the violas and cellos played really fast pizzicatos which created an interesting homophonic texture.
I thought the fact that Holst wrote a woodwind section which was then followed by strings worked really well in terms of structure.
The melody in the string section was really pretty and happy. I heard the modulation which was not abrupt or unnecessary. I liked that the strings were in unison and that the brass and woodwind provided accompaniment. He keeps changing that, as straight after, each woodwind instruments gets a little solo and the strings accompany them with trills. I particularly liked the oboe solo.
I also liked how Holst gave semiquavers, as in the beginning, to instruments who did not have the melody, to be played under those who did. What I especially like was the dynamics, the fact that it was kept piano told us something was coming.
The, dare I say, recapitulation (?) came back again nicely. The strucure worked. I liked how he changed the instrumentation. For example, the woodwind had the melody at the 3/4 which the horn had previously but then the horn took it again.
The next section was a little odd, with the rapid scalic passages in the violins and flutes (and piccolo?). The chromatic scale beneath the melody played by brass created a really nice almost polyphonic texture and then brought us back to the final section of the music, the end, where the time signature changes again and the upper woodwind and upper strings have the quavers with a B flat accidental and then brass have their last syncopated melody. It was a very happy piece of music and the last, forte cadence established that.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Holst, The Planets
Holst, The Planets
Venus: I liked the horn solo at the beginning. It is very peaceful and the monophonic texture is effective. The chords in the woodwind worked really well and I thought the imitation of that in the strings after the second horn solo was very good, the different timbres helped it to sound magical.
I thought the use of the piano dynamics was really good and the crescendo into the second horn solo was good because it made it varied.
I loved, loved, loved, the oboe solo at the key change and it thought it sounded so pure and beautiful. The syncopation in the woodwind made the piece varied and, to my surprise, it was not out of place or inappropriate. The cello solo, which was an imitation of the oboe solo sounded really good and I was happy that Holst did not write it an octave or two lower, I enjoyed the leap and the- almost- gliss to that top note.
The chromatic chords in the strings was very interesting because
1) the strings were in eight parts, homophonic texture
2) it was "piano"
3) the passing modulations made it sound mysterious
At the end of the piece I really liked the triplets, I think it was, in the second violins and the vibraphone. It really did make it sound like Venus, the Bringer of Peace.
Uranus:
The forte brass notes were a very good introductory line for The Magician. The "piano" basson part was very good; the rhythm was interesting. I liked how the strings took over from that and the time signature changes work really well and suit the title of the piece.
I liked the playful pizzicato in unison with the oboe. The horn and violins at the forte gets really wild and the marcato cello and syncopated instruments gave a real edge to the piece.
My favourtie part was when the crescendo into the fortissimo second theme of the piece where almost the whole orchestra was in unison and the bass instruments provided a bass line which fit really well with the melody.
Venus: I liked the horn solo at the beginning. It is very peaceful and the monophonic texture is effective. The chords in the woodwind worked really well and I thought the imitation of that in the strings after the second horn solo was very good, the different timbres helped it to sound magical.
I thought the use of the piano dynamics was really good and the crescendo into the second horn solo was good because it made it varied.
I loved, loved, loved, the oboe solo at the key change and it thought it sounded so pure and beautiful. The syncopation in the woodwind made the piece varied and, to my surprise, it was not out of place or inappropriate. The cello solo, which was an imitation of the oboe solo sounded really good and I was happy that Holst did not write it an octave or two lower, I enjoyed the leap and the- almost- gliss to that top note.
The chromatic chords in the strings was very interesting because
1) the strings were in eight parts, homophonic texture
2) it was "piano"
3) the passing modulations made it sound mysterious
At the end of the piece I really liked the triplets, I think it was, in the second violins and the vibraphone. It really did make it sound like Venus, the Bringer of Peace.
Uranus:
The forte brass notes were a very good introductory line for The Magician. The "piano" basson part was very good; the rhythm was interesting. I liked how the strings took over from that and the time signature changes work really well and suit the title of the piece.
I liked the playful pizzicato in unison with the oboe. The horn and violins at the forte gets really wild and the marcato cello and syncopated instruments gave a real edge to the piece.
My favourtie part was when the crescendo into the fortissimo second theme of the piece where almost the whole orchestra was in unison and the bass instruments provided a bass line which fit really well with the melody.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)