Post on 06-Mar-2018
Monday 13 July 2009 1.00 pm
Quatuor EbènePierre Colombet violin • Gabriel Le Magadure violin
Mathieu Herzog viola • Raphaël Merlin cello
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Divertimento in F K138
Allegro
Andante
Presto
Ludwig van Beethoven
String Quartet in C minor Op. 131
Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo –
Allegro molto vivace –
Allegro moderato –
Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile –
Presto
Adagio quasi un poco andante –
Allegro
Quatuor Ebène
Quatuor Ebène is one of the most sought-after quartets worldwide. In 2009 the Quartet
has taken part in Wigmore Hall’s Haydn cycle, and was given a residency at the Théâtre
du Châtelet in Paris. In 2004 the Quartet received first prize at the prestigious ARD
Competition in Munich. In June 2006 Quatuor Ebène became part of the BBC New
Generation Artists scheme, and in 2007 joined the prestigious circle of artists supported
by the Borletti-Buitoni Trust. This year Quatuor Ebène has been short-listed as best
Ensemble of the Year for the Victoires de la Musique Classique in France, and was named
Newcomer of the Year by BBC Music Magazine.
The Quartet’s chamber music partners include internationally-renowned musicians
such as Michel Dalberto, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Nicholas Angelich, Paul Meyer and The
Lindsays. Quatuor Ebène released a live Haydn CD (Mirare, Harmonia Mundi) in 2006,
unanimously praised worldwide including Album of the Month in The Strad. It recently
signed an exclusive contract with Virgin Classics-EMI, and a CD of French repertoire
(Debussy, Fauré and Ravel) was released in 2008.
THE RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERT
September 2008 – July 2009
This concert is broadcast live and presented forRadio 3 listeners by Verity Sharp, and will berepeated on Radio 3 next Saturday at 2pm
WOULD PATRONS PLEASE STIFLE COUGHING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Please ensure that watch alarms, mobile phones and any other electrical devices which canbecome audible are switched off.
Wigmore Hall acknowledges generous support during the 2008/9season from the following:
Honorary PatronsAubrey Adams • Donald Kahn OBE
Corporate PartnersCafé de Colombia • Farrow and BallGide Loyrette Nouel LLP • Hobs ReprographicsHutton Collins Partners LLPLloyds TSB Private BankingMartin Randall Travel LtdRosenblatt Recitals • Simois
SupportersEric Abraham* • Aubrey Adams*Lady Alexander of Weedon* • Tony & Marion Allen*American Friends of Wigmore HallThe Andor Charitable TrustThe Anniversary PatronsThe Argentarius FoundationArts Council England • Anthony AustinAlan Bell-Berry • Mr Nicholas J Bez David & Mary Bowerman* • Alan Bradley*Nicolas & Hilary Browne-Wilkinson*Rainer & Doreen Burchett*Gwen & Stanley Burnton* • Mr E Clause*The late John Coblenz • Edwin C Cohen*The John S Cohen Foundation • Sonia & Harvey ColeThe Concertina Charitable Trust • John Crisp* Peter Crisp & Jeremy Crouch*The Coutts Charitable TrustThe D’Oyly Carte Charitable TrustThe Dunard Fund • Vernon & Hazel EllisThe Elton Family • Patrice & Frederica FeronFidelity UK Foundation • Peter & Sonia FieldFriends of Wigmore Hall • Jonathan Gaisman* John & Lauren Goldsmith*Nicholas & Judith GoodisonThe Gordon FoundationThe Milton Grundy Foundation*Mr & Mrs Rex Harbour*André & Rosalie Hoffmann • Gay Huey Evans*Graham & Amanda Hutton*Hyde Park Place Estate CharitySimone Hyman* • The Idlewild TrustJohn Lyon’s Charity • Marc Jourdren*Donald & Jeanne Kahn* • Patricia & Jerome Karet*David & Louise Kaye • Elizabeth KayeKensington & Chelsea District Nursing TrustDr Ralph Kohn FRS & Mrs Zahava Kohn*The Kohn FoundationChristian Kwek & David Hodges*The Leche Trust • Simon & Pamela MajaroThe Robert Mayer Trust for Youth & MusicMayfield Valley Arts TrustMr & Mrs Paul MorganLionel & Lynn Persey* • The Piano FundThe Porter Foundation • Dr Clive Potter*Oliver Prenn • Nick & Claire Prettejohn*The Rayne Foundation • David B Rockwell*Conchita Romero* • Charles Rose*Jackie Rosenfeld OBE, Hon. RCM*Roxanne & Leonard Rosoman • Ruth Rothbarth*The Rubinstein Circle • The RVW TrustS E Franklin Charitable Trust No. 3The Samuel Sebba Charitable TrustRichard Sennett & Saskia Sassen *Martin & Elise Smith* • The Sobell FoundationThe Steel Charitable Trust • Cita & Irwin Stelzer*John Stephens OBE, Hon. FTCLThe Stewart Family Trust Harry Teacher* • ’Scilla & Tony Thornton*The Michael Tippett Musical FoundationJohn & Ann Tusa* • Gordon VeneKlasen*Robin Vousden* • Marie-Luise WaldeckHoward de Walden Estates LimitedMichael & Rosemary WarburgAnne & David Weizmann*City of Westminster • David & Martha WinfieldThe Harold Hyam Wingate FoundationTony Wingate • The Wolfson FoundationWorshipful Company of Information TechnologistsSimon Yates & Kevin Roon*and several anonymous supporters
* also Rubinstein Circle members
Patron Friends of Wigmore HallDavid & Jacqueline Ansell • Bernard & Ann ApterMs J A Attias • Anthony AustinYvonne & George Bailey • Dr Richard BallantineNicholas & Diana Baring • Mrs Arlene BeareAlan Bell-Berry • Elizabeth BennettLeslie & Dee Bergman • Sandra & Pierre BernheimMr Samuel Berwick • Mr Nicholas J BezGeoffrey & Lynn Bindman • Mrs A D BlassElisabeth & Bob Boas • Mr & Mrs F D W BoettcherKarl Otto Bonnier • Christopher & Lorna BownKatie Bradford • Richard BridgesAngela & Peter Brookes • Sir Mervyn & Lady BrownJohn Burgess • Martin Byman & Peggy SamsonSusan Carlisle • John Chiene & Carol FergusonMrs Valerie Chinchen • Mr Colin ClarkIan Clarkson & Richard Morris • Geoffrey CollensDr Judith Collins • Mark & Cathy CorbettCelia & Andrew Curran • Edwin & Effie DatsonTimothy Daunt • C N G Dawes OBE • Pauline Del MarAlan Dewey • Mr John Dikes • Les & Marilyn DimitDr James S Dooley • Jane Douglas • Jill DresdenJ L Drewitt • David & Kate DugdaleDouglas & Janette Eden • Susan EdisonVernon & Hazel Ellis • Alexandra & David EmmersonMargaret Fenton • Patricia & Jeffrey FineDr & Mrs P R Foster • Margaret FruchterAlan & Joanna Gemes • Michael GlendinningNicholas & Judith Goodison • Peter GoodwinNigel Grice & Maeve Larkin • Felicity GuinnessBarbara & Michael GwinnellJudith & David Hankinson • Andrew HeadCharles & Rachel Henderson • Malcolm HerringHoneymead Arts Trust • Dr & Mrs Alan J HoranBob & Kathleen Ingham • Robert & Deborah JayPenny Jonas • Frances & Jeffrey JowellDr Anthony Katz • The Emmanuel Kaye FoundationWilliam & Catherine Kerr • Mr Julian KornGabor Lacko • Maryly La FolletteRenee & Theo Laub • Rose & Dudley LeighHoward Lichterman & Michael RatcliffePaul & Brigitta Lock • George LoudonWilliam Lyne CBE, AM • Anne & Brian MaceDenis Macourt • Julia MacRae • Jean MarshRaoul Mash • Iain Mathewson CMGHarriet & Michael MaunsellRuth & Michael McWilliam • Patricia MendelsonAntony & Alison MilfordChristopher Morcom QC & Mrs Diane MorcomMr & Mrs Paul MorganRodney & Kusum Nelson-JonesStanley Newman & Brian Rosenthal • Richard OakeValerie O’Connor • Donald OsterEvelyn & Eric OsterweilDr Stephen Page & Anthea MorlandRoy & Celia Palmer • Jane ParksRichard & Lynda Penrose • Shira PerlmutterMr & Mrs Michael Pescod • David PetchRoger Pettit • Mr & Mrs John PettyThe Lord & Lady PhillimoreDr R J W Phillips • Dr Marios PieridesProfessor Richard Portes CBE FBAThe Quercus Trust • Mr W ReidPearce & Beaujolais RoodRoxanne & Leonard Rosoman • Peter RossPeter Roth • Richard & Elizabeth SetchimRichard Sharp • Jackie ShearerMrs Dale Sheppard • Lois Sieff • Lucy SilverSerena Simmons & Michael Thomas • Ian SimonsJoe Smouha QC & Mrs Lucy SmouhaProfessor Ernst SondheimerOliver Stanley Charitable TrustNigel & Johanna Stapleton • S F M SteerStefan & Judith Steiner • Gill & Keith StellaThe Stewart Family Trust • Allen ThomasMrs Helen Thornton • Aminah & Michael TraskMarina Vaizey • S Vas Dias • Gerry WakelinAndrew & Hilary Walker • David & Margaret WalkerMichael & Rosemary Warburg • Lady WardDavid & Frances Waters • Mark WeaverMartin Webster & Hilary De LyonDavid & Martha Winfield • Tony WingatePhilip & Emeline Winston • Neil & Philippa WoodcockMartin G Woolley • Dr Ernst Zillekensand several anonymous Patron Friends
This is the last BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert of the 2008/9 season. The next BBC Radio 3
Lunchtime Concert will take place on Monday 14 September at 1.00 pm:
Meta4 perform Shostakovich Quartet No. 4 in D Op. 83; Beethoven Quartet in F Op. 135
Wigmore Hall Live CDs are on sale in the Foyer
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Divertimento in F K138 (1772)
Allegro
Andante
Presto
The Divertimento in F major is one of a set of three such works
(K136–8) written in Salzburg in 1772 when the composer was no
more than sixteen. That is all we know about them. It is not certain
for example whether they were intended to be played by solo string
quartet or string orchestra. The fact that the viola part in the
autograph manuscript is headed ‘viole’ certainly suggests, however,
that Mozart had at least two of them in mind and that the violin
parts (jointly marked ‘violini’), if not the cello part (‘basso’), would
be doubled accordingly. At the same time they are not scored like
chamber music: the first and second violins dominate the texture,
allowing the viola and cello parts little melodic interest.
The Divertimento in F is the least generous in this respect. The viola
part joins the violins in thirds or sixths from time to time in the first
movement, the lower strings add colour below sustained violin
harmonies in the Andante, and in the middle of the Presto all four
instruments briefly take part in a little canonic counterpoint. But,
attractive though the scoring is, that is the limit of four-part enterprise
here. The other, pro-quartet side of the argument is that there are
rapid passages, most strikingly for the violins in the slow movement,
which would be uncomfortable for orchestral rather than solo strings
to accomplish. In the end, however, the discussion is little more than
academic: all three works retain their youthful zest, their rhythmic
ingenuity, their textural clarity and their melodic interest whether
performed by a quartet or a small string ensemble.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
String Quartet in C minor Op. 131 (1825–6)
Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo –
Allegro molto vivace –
Allegro moderato –
Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile –
Presto
Adagio quasi un poco andante –
Allegro
Not the least remarkable aspect of Beethoven’s last-but-one string
quartet – his own favourite, apparently – is that only one of the seven
movements is in sonata form. Far from indicating any kind of late-in-
life disillusion with sonata form, however, the long-term construction
of the work clearly confirms Beethoven’s faith in it. In expanding the
string quartet to as many movements as he does here, treating the
two shortest as introductions to the next, and linking them in such
a way that there is no distinct break between them – nothing but
the occasional short pause in forty-five minutes of music – he is
stretching the string quartet to its limits. His strategy in both
extending the structure and finally consolidating it is to reserve the
one sonata-form movement until the end.
That is not the only strategy of course. Apart from the tonal strategy,
there is the thematic one which is initiated in the opening bars of
the first movement as a solitary violin introduces the subject of what
must be the most thorough and most beautiful example of the
ensemble fugue since Die Kunst der Fuge. While it is just about
possible to trace the thematic influence of the fugue in every
subsequent movement, it is not made explicit until the last. In the
meantime the Allegro molto vivace teasingly approximates to sonata
form, offering no second subject and little development. It has no real
ending either as it quietly yields to the very short Allegro moderato,
where a dramatic recitative and a modest violin cadenza lead directly
into the Andante – an extended theme-and-variations movement
which, as far as the string quartet is concerned, surpasses anything
of its kind in its apparently inexhaustible resources of melodic
inspiration. There are six variations exploring textures as different as
the fugal third variation (Andante moderato e lusinghiero) beginning
lugubriously on cello and viola, the fifth (Allegretto) which makes a
feature of harmonic suspensions rather than line, and the chordal
sixth (Allegro ma non troppo e semplice) with a muttered cello figure
leading into a coda elevated by ecstatic violin trills.
The brilliantly detailed Presto scherzo, with its perfectly integrated
rustic trio material, represents another superlative of its kind. It is
organised in such a way that the scherzo and trio are both played
through twice and then, just when it seems to have nowhere else to
go, it takes flight in an aerial sul ponticello coda. Approached by way
of an Adagio with an expressive value quite disproportionate to its
less then thirty bars, the closing Allegro clearly refers back to the
opening fugue, though not so much in the gruff opening gesture as
in the legato phrases that follow and echo throughout. It is a sonata-
form construction both dramatic and sublimely melodious. Although
it begins, like the opening fugue, in C# minor and retains the urgency
for much of its duration, a movement containing such exalted
material as the second subject, which is first heard in E major high on
first violin, could scarcely end in anything but C# major, last-minute
decision though it is.
Gerald Larner © 2009
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Ludwig van Beethoven
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