reading a score is like reading a book or a play each note is a word each
or a play each note is a word each
or a play each note is a word each phrase a sentence each movement is a
phrase a sentence each movement is a
phrase a sentence each movement is a chapter and the whole a complete and
chapter and the whole a complete and
chapter and the whole a complete and complex emotional narrative think of
complex emotional narrative think of
complex emotional narrative think of Shakespeare’s to be or not to be how
Shakespeare’s to be or not to be how
Shakespeare’s to be or not to be how many times have we all heard this famous
many times have we all heard this famous
many times have we all heard this famous soliloquy and how many different ways
soliloquy and how many different ways
soliloquy and how many different ways boldly with confidence quietly timidly
boldly with confidence quietly timidly
boldly with confidence quietly timidly without the interpretations are endless
without the interpretations are endless
without the interpretations are endless giving the same words different meanings
giving the same words different meanings
giving the same words different meanings the words themselves do not change and
the words themselves do not change and
the words themselves do not change and so it is with music the words a writer
so it is with music the words a writer
so it is with music the words a writer gives us I like the notes a composer
gives us I like the notes a composer
gives us I like the notes a composer gives us they are just the beginning
gives us they are just the beginning
gives us they are just the beginning let’s hear an example we’re going to
let’s hear an example we’re going to
let’s hear an example we’re going to play for you the opening phrase from
play for you the opening phrase from
play for you the opening phrase from Haydn’s opus 20 number two quartet the
Haydn’s opus 20 number two quartet the
Haydn’s opus 20 number two quartet the minuet movement and taking it to two
minuet movement and taking it to two
minuet movement and taking it to two extremes of the interpretative
extremes of the interpretative
extremes of the interpretative possibilities given the instructions he
possibilities given the instructions he
possibilities given the instructions he has given to us we’re only going to end
has given to us we’re only going to end
has given to us we’re only going to end we’re only going to alter the tempo
we’re only going to alter the tempo
we’re only going to alter the tempo which is the speed and the dynamics
which is the speed and the dynamics
which is the speed and the dynamics which is the volume and after each
which is the volume and after each
which is the volume and after each example take a moment to reflect on how
example take a moment to reflect on how
example take a moment to reflect on how differently these versions feel to you
still crudest tools as musicians we have
still crudest tools as musicians we have a world of sound at our disposal it may
a world of sound at our disposal it may
a world of sound at our disposal it may seem obvious to say but it’s important
seem obvious to say but it’s important
seem obvious to say but it’s important to remember that sound is our medium
to remember that sound is our medium
to remember that sound is our medium through sound we must express every
through sound we must express every
through sound we must express every human emotion every experience the
human emotion every experience the
human emotion every experience the variety therefore is infinite the
variety therefore is infinite the
variety therefore is infinite the composer gives us the notes tempo
composer gives us the notes tempo
composer gives us the notes tempo dynamic and articulation indications and
dynamic and articulation indications and
dynamic and articulation indications and in order to bring these to life these
in order to bring these to life these
in order to bring these to life these marks on the page we must learn the
marks on the page we must learn the
marks on the page we must learn the composer’s language which takes me back
composer’s language which takes me back
composer’s language which takes me back to how we read the score like it’s a
to how we read the score like it’s a
to how we read the score like it’s a book if one were to read only one work
book if one were to read only one work
book if one were to read only one work of any great writer whether it’s
of any great writer whether it’s
of any great writer whether it’s Shakespeare Charles Dickens Jane Austen
Shakespeare Charles Dickens Jane Austen
Shakespeare Charles Dickens Jane Austen or Pinter one would understand their
or Pinter one would understand their
or Pinter one would understand their world their language the nuance and the
world their language the nuance and the
world their language the nuance and the subtleties far poorer than if one were
subtleties far poorer than if one were
subtleties far poorer than if one were to read many or all of their works and
to read many or all of their works and
to read many or all of their works and yet they are all writing in the English
yet they are all writing in the English
yet they are all writing in the English language their use of it couldn’t be
language their use of it couldn’t be
language their use of it couldn’t be more different
more different
more different third is with the composers each
third is with the composers each
third is with the composers each composer has their own language and we
composer has their own language and we
composer has their own language and we delve into their stories into their
delve into their stories into their
delve into their stories into their world through their music how do we do
world through their music how do we do
world through their music how do we do this how as for individual equal unique
this how as for individual equal unique
this how as for individual equal unique voices in a quartet to become to a
voices in a quartet to become to a
voices in a quartet to become to a shared understanding of these complex
shared understanding of these complex
shared understanding of these complex emotional works well we rehearse a lot
emotional works well we rehearse a lot
emotional works well we rehearse a lot something like 1 hour per minute of
something like 1 hour per minute of
something like 1 hour per minute of music and that’s just when we’re
music and that’s just when we’re
music and that’s just when we’re learning a piece to present it for the
learning a piece to present it for the
learning a piece to present it for the first time on stage the work continues
first time on stage the work continues
first time on stage the work continues after that we ask each other what are
after that we ask each other what are
after that we ask each other what are you saying here what’s he saying there
you saying here what’s he saying there
you saying here what’s he saying there are you asking me a question
are you asking me a question
are you asking me a question are you making a statement is this sad
are you making a statement is this sad
are you making a statement is this sad or yearning or nostalgic is it happy or
or yearning or nostalgic is it happy or
or yearning or nostalgic is it happy or contented or deliriously joyful and when
contented or deliriously joyful and when
contented or deliriously joyful and when we say you we really mean the composer’s
we say you we really mean the composer’s
we say you we really mean the composer’s voice that comes out to us through his
voice that comes out to us through his
voice that comes out to us through his music through sound let’s hear a couple
music through sound let’s hear a couple
music through sound let’s hear a couple of examples going back to the same hidin
of examples going back to the same hidin
of examples going back to the same hidin quartet the slow movement we’re going to
quartet the slow movement we’re going to
quartet the slow movement we’re going to play a section from the near the
play a section from the near the
play a section from the near the beginning of the movement which is very
beginning of the movement which is very
beginning of the movement which is very sad almost despairing and then later in
sad almost despairing and then later in
sad almost despairing and then later in the movement he ma Julie modulates to
the movement he ma Julie modulates to
the movement he ma Julie modulates to the key of E flat major which for hiden
the key of E flat major which for hiden
the key of E flat major which for hiden is the key of divine love
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
and finally an example from Dvorak this
and finally an example from Dvorak this is his vivace from his quartet which is
is his vivace from his quartet which is
is his vivace from his quartet which is nicknamed the Slavonic something very
nicknamed the Slavonic something very
nicknamed the Slavonic something very boisterous and full of joy everything
boisterous and full of joy everything
boisterous and full of joy everything that we need to know is in the score as
that we need to know is in the score as
that we need to know is in the score as long as we know how to unlock that
long as we know how to unlock that
long as we know how to unlock that composers language in order for us to
composers language in order for us to
composers language in order for us to have the confidence in order to make a
have the confidence in order to make a
have the confidence in order to make a spontaneous performance full of
spontaneous performance full of
spontaneous performance full of freshness that’s honest and unique each
freshness that’s honest and unique each
freshness that’s honest and unique each time we walk on stage we must go through
time we walk on stage we must go through
time we walk on stage we must go through the shared process of exploration
the shared process of exploration
the shared process of exploration together in the privacy of the rehearsal
together in the privacy of the rehearsal
together in the privacy of the rehearsal room we can challenge each other and
room we can challenge each other and
room we can challenge each other and discuss together burying our souls so
discuss together burying our souls so
discuss together burying our souls so that we know as we walk on stage that we
that we know as we walk on stage that we
that we know as we walk on stage that we are united and unified in our
are united and unified in our
are united and unified in our interpretation in this way we can trust
interpretation in this way we can trust
interpretation in this way we can trust that we can enter into the mirrored
that we can enter into the mirrored
that we can enter into the mirrored emotions demanded of us in each of these
emotions demanded of us in each of these
emotions demanded of us in each of these great works which are our great works of
great works which are our great works of
great works which are our great works of literature in synchronization there’s
literature in synchronization there’s
literature in synchronization there’s something else as well which gives us
something else as well which gives us
something else as well which gives us confidence in each other the reason we
confidence in each other the reason we
confidence in each other the reason we became a quartet in the first place is
became a quartet in the first place is
became a quartet in the first place is because we clicked we understood each
because we clicked we understood each
because we clicked we understood each other in the way you might when you
other in the way you might when you
other in the way you might when you first meet a new friend and there’s
first meet a new friend and there’s
first meet a new friend and there’s something else as well again something
something else as well again something
something else as well again something intangible that comes with time
intangible that comes with time
intangible that comes with time and with respects and with work it’s a
and with respects and with work it’s a
and with respects and with work it’s a way of feeling each other’s energy
way of feeling each other’s energy
way of feeling each other’s energy onstage breathing together knowing each
onstage breathing together knowing each
onstage breathing together knowing each other it’s like you might feel in a
other it’s like you might feel in a
other it’s like you might feel in a shared silence with an old friend and in
shared silence with an old friend and in
shared silence with an old friend and in conclusion we would like to play for you
conclusion we would like to play for you
conclusion we would like to play for you the first movement of revels quartets
the first movement of revels quartets
the first movement of revels quartets which we have chosen for it for its
which we have chosen for it for its
which we have chosen for it for its richness of emotional for its richness
richness of emotional for its richness
richness of emotional for its richness of emotional journey and for its
of emotional journey and for its
of emotional journey and for its incredible color palette
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
Be First to Comment