PROGRAMME

Sunday, 10 May, 7.30pm The Lion Hotel, Shrewsbury

CARDUCCI STRING QUARTET

Matthew Denton - violin
Michelle Fleming - violin
Eoin Schmidt-Martin - viola
Emma Denton - cello

Quartet in Eb, Op.33 No.2 'The Joke' - Haydn
Quartet No. 1 Op.7 - Bartok
Quartet in D minor, D.810 'Death and the Maiden' - Schubert

With Thanks to The Lion Hotel

Quartet in Eb, Op.33 No.2 'The Joke' Haydn (1732-1809)

Allegro moderate; Scherzo: Allegro; Largo e soslenuto; Finale: Presto

The Op.33 quartets represent a new stage in Haydn's development as a composer. While composing his set of Op20 quartets, Haydn was determined to prove himself as a composer of true skill and a master of the String Quartet as a medium, hence their academic and complex nature. However once this point had been proven Haydn allowed himself to relax and enjoy the act of composing (and of course performing) the Op33 quartets.

This is clearly evident in Quartet No2 "The Joke". From the outset of the first movement Allegro moderate, the tone set is one of playful simplicity, both thematically and in its homophonic texture, the virtuosic first violin mostly accompanied by the other instruments. The joyful and rustic Scherzo second movement reflects a similar character to the first. Haydn's sense of humour of course is present throughout his music and the Trio section of this movement is particularly amusing. The glorious third movement Largo opens with viola and cello in counterpoint and although the textures thicken as the movement continues the true beauty of the music lies in the simplicity of the thematic material. The quartet ends with the "Joke" Finale. While the movement is clearly of a humorous nature, the specific "Joke" refers to the final bars of the piece, where Haydn keeps the audience guessing as to when it actually ends!

Quartet No l Op.7 Bartok (1881-1945)

Lento; Allegretto; Allegro vivace

The first of Bartok's six quartets was written in 1908 published in 1909, and given its premiere in Budapest by the Waldbauer-Kerpely Quartet in 1910. Although an easy work, the quartet contains in abundance the distinguishing features that characterise Bartok's intensely personal style - memorable melodic ideas, rhythmic vigour, richly coloured harmonic textures, exciting instrumentation, and creatively organic structures.

The opening movement is in a ternary shape and begins canonically. Bartok makes much use of intervallic development and the intervals of a minor third, perfect fifth and falling sixth feature prominently throughout the quartet. A rather improvisatory middle section, introduced by the viola in its lowest register, leads to a climax which subsides into a recapitulation of the first section material. The second movement, which is in a sonata-like form, follows without a break, picking up the final idea of the lento and quickening to allegretto. Traditionally for sonata form the two main themes contrast well, the second subject having an enchanting lilt. After a compressed recapitulation a cadenza-like paragraph leads to the finale, in which Bartok introduces a more obvious folk element, noticeable especially in the use of dance rhythms. Again in a ternary shape, the structure is closely organised and again uses basic material from the previous movements. A fully worked out four-part fugato makes up the bulk of the central section leading to a climax point and an ornate recapitulation which drives the music along with an overwhelming display of rhythmic vigour, a characteristic that was to become a particular feature of Bartok's later music.

Quartet in D minor, D.810 'Death and the Maiden' - Schubert (1797-1828)

Allegro; Andante con moto; Scherzo:Allegro molto; Presto

Despite a short life of thirty-one years, the size and impact of Schubert's output is astonishing. Nine symphonies, over six hundred songs, twenty string quartets and other chamber masterworks such as the 'Trout' and the cello quintet - Schubert was responsible for a profound development in musical history, exploring a romantic spirit within classical forms.

Shortly before this quartet was written, Schubert suffered his first major bout of illness and wrote to a friend "Imagine a man whose health will never be right again and whose sheer despair over this ever makes things worse and worse; imagine a man I say, whose most brilliant hopes have perished." Yet such anguish did not thwart his creativity.

The unforgettable opening movement Allegro must be amongst the most riveting in the entire quartet literature, the bold and dramatic triplet motive establishing a forcefulness and urgency that pervades the whole quartet. Central to the work is the second movement Andante, a set of variations based on a song that Schubert had written several years earlier, a setting of the poem "Der Tod und das Madchen" in which Death tries to deceive the maiden, masquerading as a soothing, consoling presence. The brutal syncopations of the third movement Scherzo gives way to a lilting, tranquil Trio section in the major before the Finale, a feverish tarantella, brings the quartet to a close with a breathlessly paced prestissimo.

CARDUCCI STRING QUARTET

Prize winners in no less than 7 International Chamber Music Competitions, the Carducci Quartet has quickly become recognised as one of Europe's top young string quartets. Prizes include 1st prize at the 2004 Kuhmo International Chamber Music Competition in Finland, and other major awards at the Bordeaux, London, Osaka and 'Charles Hennen' competitions. Most recently they won the 2007 Concert Artists Guild International Competition in the USA. The Strad has described the Quartet as "playing with constant variety, a masterclass in unanimity of musical purpose."

Graduates of the top music conservatoires in Britain and Ireland, they have studied with members of the Amadeus, Chilingirian, Takacs and Vanbrugh quartets and are the current Richard Carne Junior Fellows at Trinity College of Music. As part of the ProQuartet professional training programme in France they have studied with Gyorgy Kurtag, Valentin Erben of the Alban Berg Quartet and Paul Katz.

Following on from their critically acclaimed 2006 Purcell Room and Wigmore Hall debuts for the Park Lane Group, the quartet have been invited to perform at numerous contemporary music festivals and societies, including The "Second Glance" Festival in London, and the Cheltenham Contemporary Music Society.

They recently established their own record label 'Carducci Classics', launched with a CD of Haydn String Quartets. A further three discs featuring C20th works by G. Whettam, J. Horovitz and B. Boydell will follow by the end of the year. The Carduccis have also recorded (Vivaldi and Piazzolla) with the Katona Twins Guitar Duo for Channel Classics.

Tours abroad have taken the quartet to France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Belgium, Spain and Italy, where after performing numerous concerts at the Castagnetto-Carducci Festival, the quartet adopted the name "Carducci" with the blessing of the Mayor.

Highlights last season included a residency at Aldeburgh, the launch of their own festival in Highnam (Gloucestershire) and performances in the Verbier, Kilkenny, Three Choirs, Exeter and Kings Lynn festivals. Future projects include further performances at the Wigmore Hall and tours in Portugal and Japan.

The quartet's educational work continues with performances for school children sponsored by the Cavatina Chamber Music Trust and numerous workshops in Ireland. They also run their own music courses in France for young musicians and have a strong link with the Gloucester Academy of Music. They were recently appointed 'Quartet in Residence' at the Cork School of Music in Ireland.

Last Updated : 12/05/2009