XXXV. EWALD, Victor: Brass Quintet #1, Op. 5

XXXV. EWALD, Victor (1860-1935)

Brass Quintet #1, Op. 5 (1902/1912)
1. Moderato
2. Adagio non troppo lento
3. Allegro moderato
CSO Brass Quintet
(13:00)

As a young trombonist, this was my first experience playing a brass quintet. Thus, this work -- in the dark key of B-Flat Minor -- has forever remained imprinted on my brain, and I find it gorgeous just to think about.

The Second Movement is in FIVE, with a lovely, flowing melody, anchored in the dark, flat key of G-Flat Major:

XXXIV. NANCARROW, Conlon: Study for Player Piano #37

XXXIV. NANCARROW, Conlon (1912-1997)

Study for Player Piano #37 (1969)
(8:41)

Nancarrow is one of the most fascinating figures in 20th century music.

After studying with Roger Sessions, Walter Piston and Nicolas Slonimsky, he went to Spain to fight in the Civil War.

Harassed by the U.S. for being a Communist, he moved to Mexico in 1940.

After reading Henry Cowell's seminal book, New Musical Resources, Nancarrow began to compose his complex musical ideas on a player piano. He eventually bought a special manual hole-punching machine, which enabled him to tailor his ideas with great precision -- writing music that no human pianist could possibly play.

He titled all these player piano works as "studies."

This one -- #37 -- features 12 separate melodic lines, each one moving at a different tempo.

There is nothing quite like Nancarrow's music; it is completely unique.

His step-grandson is Bret Stephens, a New York Times columnist.

XXXIII. USTVOLSKAYA, Galina: Grand Duet for Cello and Piano

XXXIII. USTVOLSKAYA, Galina (1919-2006)

Grand Duet for Cello and Piano (1959)
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Rainer Crosett, cello
Dina Vainshtein, piano
(23:12)

Ustvolskaya studied with Shostakovich in 1939 -- his only female pupil.

Like Shostakovich -- who got into deep trouble with Stalin over his non-patriotic music -- Ustvolskaya's radical compositions were unheard until the 60's when the Soviet government grew more tolerant of the contemporary arts scene.

This turbulent music features a lot of interplay from the lowest and highest notes of the piano, with a brusque cello part -- until the final movement, which has just a trace of the moody Shostakovich, who said of her:

"I am convinced that the music of G.I. Ustvolskaya will achieve world fame, and be valued by all who hold truth to be the essential element of music."

Spread the word -- maybe she'll eventually achieve that world fame.

XXXII. SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri: String Quartet #11 in F Minor, Op. 122

XXXII. SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri (1906-1975)

String Quartet #11 in F Minor, Op. 122 (1966)
1. Introduction: Andantino
2. Scherzo: Allegretto
3. Recitative: Adagio
4. Etude: Allegro
5. Humoresque: Allegro
6. Elegy: Adagio
7. Finale: Moderato -- Meno mosso -- Moderato
Jerusalem Quartet
(16:35)

Shostakovich wrote 15 symphonies and 15 string quartets.

It just worked out that way.

But he didn't compose his First string quartet until the time of his Fifth symphony.

The quartets are as varied as the symphonies, as well -- his style changed over the years, particularly post-1953 after the death of Stalin.

This quartet in seven movements, played without pause, and based on a mournful, chromatic melody which undergoes radical variations throughout.

The First Violin, in the First Movement ("Introduction"):

It was dedicated to the memory of Vasily Shirinsky, who was one of the founding members of the Beethoven Quartet, the group that premiered most of Shostakovich's quartets.

XXXI. LASSUS, Orlande de: Missa Entre vous filles / Infelix ego / Missa Susanne un jour

XXXI. LASSUS, Orlande de (1530 or 1532-1594)

Masses for 5 Voices (mid-1500s)
1. Missa Entre vous filles
2. Infelix ego
3. Missa Susanne un jour
Oxford Camerata
Jeremy Summerly, cond.
(1:08:25)

After Josquin, came de Lassus and Palestrina. The part-writing is more complex, more polyphonic.

As I pointed out in my previous Josquin entry (XXV), many of the base melodies of these "sacred" works were from secular works, like the first mass in this collection, "Entre vous filles" which comes from an obscene popular song "Entre vous filles de quinze ans" ("You sweet 15-year-old girls") ...

Read the history of infelix ego here.

"Susanne un jour" is only slightly tamer than "Entre vous filles":

[the original song]:

One day, Susanne's love was solicited
By two old men coveting her beauty
She became sad and discomforted at heart,
Seeing the attempt on her chastity.

She said to them: "If disloyally
From my body you take pleasure,
It is over with me! If I resist,
You would make me die in disgrace:

But I would rather perish in innocence,
Than offend the Lord by sin."

XXX. HAYDN, Franz Joseph: String Quartet #4, Op. 1, No. 4

XXX. HAYDN, Franz Joseph (1732-1809)

String Quartet #4 in G Major, Op. 1, No. 4 (1751)
1. Presto
2. Menuetto
3. Adagio ma non tanto
4. Menuetto
5. Finale: Presto
Kodàly Quartet
(23:11)

Haydn wrote 68 string quartets. Like his symphonies, one can trace the development of the form through these works.

This early quartet -- like his earliest symphonies -- reveals the influence of composers like C.P.E. Bach.

XXIX. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van: Symphony #3 in E-Flat Major ("Eroica"), Op. 55

XXIX. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van (1770-1827)

Symphony #3 in E-Flat Major ("Eroica"), Op. 55 (1803-04)
1. Allegro con brio
2. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai
3. Scherzo. Allegro vivace -- Trio
4. Finale. Allegro molto -- Poco Andante -- Presto
Frankfurt Radio Symphony
Andrés Orozco-Estrada, cond.
(53:43)

Note the excised dedication to Napoleon.

Ferdinand Ries -- Beethoven's pupil -- writes:

"In writing this symphony, Beethoven had been thinking of Bonaparte, but Bonaparte while he was First Consul. At that time Beethoven had the highest esteem for him, and compared him to the greatest consuls of Ancient Rome. Not only I, but many of Beethoven's closer friends, saw this symphony on his table, beautifully copied in manuscript, with the word 'Bonaparte' inscribed at the very top of the title-page and 'Ludwig van Beethoven' at the very bottom ... I was the first to tell him the news that Bonaparte had declared himself Emperor, whereupon he broke into a rage and exclaimed, 'So he is no more than a common mortal! Now, too, he will tread underfoot all the rights of Man, indulge only his ambition; now he will think himself superior to all men, become a tyrant!' Beethoven went to the table, seized the top of the title-page, tore it in half and threw it on the floor. The page had to be recopied, and it was only now that the symphony received the title Sinfonia eroica."

This performance is one of the finest.

For details on this important symphony, this Wikipedia page has excellent information.

Many musicologists tag this symphony as the start of the "Romantic movement."

One funny incident is also described by Ries:

At 12:00 in the First Movement, just at the end of the development section, the strings are insinuating a Bb7 dominant and the horn plays an Eb triad -- a total clash!

At the first rehearsal, Ries erupted with outrage, assuming it was a mistake, while Beethoven insisted it was correct and threatened to "box his ears."

Not to be missed is Eroica -- the fantastic BBC made-for-TV movie about the very first rehearsal of the symphony -- starring Ian Hart as Beethoven and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique. This is both a film and a performance. Hart makes a fantastic Beethoven, and it is a thrill to watch both musicians, noble audience, and even the servants react to this revolutionary music! An astonished Haydn shows up towards the end!