Download Finale (Presto)

56th Dubrovnik Summer Festival
2005
Croatia
JANÁČEK STRING QUARTET
Miloš Vacek
violin
Vitezslav Zavadilík
violin
Ladislav Kyselák
viola
Bretislav Vybíral
cello
Rector's Palace Atrium
13 August
9.30 pm
Bedřich Smetana: String Quartet No. 2 in D minor
Allegro
Allegro moderato (Andante cantabile)
Allegro non più moderato, ma agitato e con
fuoco
Finale (Presto)
Antonín Dvořák: String Quartet No. 14 in A flat major, Op. 105
Adagio ma non troppo-Allegro appassionato
Molto vivace
Lento e molto cantabile
Allegro non tanto
***
Leoš Janáček:
String Quartet No. 2, Intimate letters
Andante
Adagio
Moderato
Allegro
In 1947 the best students of the Brno Conservatory Brnu Jiří Trávníček,
Adolf Sýkora, Jiří Kratochvíl and Karel Krafka, founded the Janáček
String Quartet, the name rightfully deserved for their unparalleled
interpretations of music by this great composer. Their numerous
concerts and festival appearances both at home and abroad (since
1955) were a real discovery for music critics and audiences alike. The
Quartet has become one of the best European chamber ensembles, and
a true follower of the great Czech and Moravian music tradition. It is
marked by surprising freshness of musical ideas, brilliant tone and
absolute technical perfection. Brought up on the post-romantic
aesthetic typical of the early 20th century composers, the Quartet has
become a meritorious interpreter of the music of that, as well as of the
following periods, adopting new music tendencies, but not forgetting
the past. The long history of the Quartet logically reflected in the
change of its members. However, the criteria and the artistic aims set
from the very beginnings have remained unchanged, and the present
Quartet members continue the tradition with dignity. The huge
discography of the Quartet includes music of various styles released
by most prestigious labels worldwide. Their recent acclaimed CD
includes Janáček’s String Quartet No. 1 (Kreutzer Sonata) and Dvořák’s
String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96, American.
The present time Quartet leader (since 1996), violinist Milosh Vacek
studied violin in Brno at the Conservatory and at the Janáček Music
Academy. In 1982 he won 4th Prize at the Beethoven Competition in
Hradec, and four years later a Diploma at the Pisek Competition and at
the Prague Spring. In 1987 he became a member and soloist of the
Slovakian Chamber Orchestra, from 1995 a lecturer at the Brno
Conservatory, and from 2003 Professor at the Janáček Music Academy
in Brno.
Violinist Vítezslav Zavadilík graduated from the Kromeriz
Conservatory and from the Janáček Academy of Music in Brno. A long
time member of the Trávníček Quartet, he holds numerous awards
from the string quartet competitions. In 1979 he won the Premio
Vittorio Gui Competition in Florence, and two years later the
Liebstoeckel Award in Kolmar. In 1994 he replaced his teacher Adolf
Sýkora in the Janáček String Quartet.
Violist Ladislav Kyselák graduated from the Brno Conservatory and
from the Prague Academy of Music. In 1979 he won the National Viola
Competition, in 1980 excelled at the Island of Man Competition, and
was laureate of the Portsmouth String Quartet Competition in 1981.
From 1986 – 1989 he lectured at the Pardubice Conservatory, and was
leader the viola section in the Slovakian Philharmonic. In 1989 he
became a member of the Janáček String Quartet, having succeeded his
teacher Jiří Kratochvíl. He extensively records for the radio, and
teaches at the Janáček Academy of Music in Brno.
Cellist Bretislav Vybíral won the Ústi nad Orlici Cello Competition at
the age of nine, and won the same competition two years later. In 1967
he won the International Concertino Praga Competition in the chamber
music category. Having studied at the Brno Conservatory, he
graduated from the Janáček Academy of Music in Brno. Still a student,
he won the Beethoven Competition in Hradec. From 1980 he is
concertmaster of the Janáček Opera in Brno, and member of the
Janáček String Quartet.
Founder of the Czech modern music Bedřich Smetana composed his
String Quartet No. 2 in D minor in 1882. Together with opera The
Devil’s Wall, Carnival in Prague and the unfinished opera Viola, the
piece belongs to Smetana’s last composing period, in which he faced
insurmountable obstacles. In spite of his deafness and severe illness,
he foresaw all major tendencies of European music in those pieces,
revealing an interesting blend of the Czech classicism and
romanticism. In an exciting way the String Quartet No. 2 continues
precisely where the anthological Quartet No. 1 in E minor, called From
My Life, stopped. In his diary entry on 14th June 1882, Smetana, who
always explained and announced his works that way, writes: “I have
completed the first movement of the Quartet, yet I still hesitate to
publish it. The movement has an unusual form and is not easy to
understand. I fear that, being filled with inner dissatisfaction, the
movement will be earnestly difficult to perform. These are the
consequences of my wretched life.”
Commenting the four movements, he adds: “The first movement:
depression and mental disorder upon the loss of hearing. The second
and third movement: continuation of work in the Czech manner, and
inner satisfaction that it offers. The fourth movement: an attempt to
fight destiny.” The first movement (Allegro), composed in 9/8
measure, is marked by tragedy. The cello theme seems to encourage
the artist’s new endeavours in life and work, with the remaining
instruments joining in. Then life acquires a new tempo, con fuoco,
fervently. The music seems to wish to propitiate destiny, persuading it
to make some exceptions, which the composer rightfully deserves. The
music dances in circles around destiny, and the master seems to grow
stronger for his fight. Yet, that is the last bit of hope in the creative
will that used to be uncontrollable. The movement ends by a tragic
theme filled with melancholy and longing. The second movement
(Allegro moderato) is a miniature polka imbued with Smetana’s
genuine humour and delicate irony. The central Trio (Andante
cantabile) resounds with a subtle melody in folk spirit. The
contentment resulting from the creative work and sincere artistic
inspiration are reflected in the third movement (Allegro non più
moderato, ma agitato e con fuoco). The theme of its impressive and
skilfully composed fugato is initially carried by the cello, and later
gradually accepted by other instruments. The movement reveals the
modern atmosphere of future quartets of Novák And Suk. The Quartet
ends by a powerful and tense Presto, dominated by a fierce and
restless triumphant dance.
Great Czech composer Antonín Dvořák (1841 - 1904) wrote down in
the scores of his String Quartet No. 14 in A flat major, Op. 105:
“Began to compose the first movement on 26th March 1895 in New
York, but have not completed it. Continued with composing on 12th
November 1895 in Prague.” There were several reasons for such a long
break. Firstly, the hard work in completing his American stay, and
later the excitement upon returning to his homeland. Furthermore,
Dvořák had to face a special creative compulsion: he simply plunged
into composing another string quartet in G major, now Opus 106.
Having completing it, Dvořák went back to composing tonight’s piece;
the two quartets should therefore swap their opus numbers. In view of
the immense homesickness overflowing Dvořák’s American pieces –
particularly his Symphony No. 9, From the New World, and B minor
Cello Concerto -, it will be easier to understand the immense joy filling
both string quartets. That will also explain why both pieces reveal no
trace of exotics, being certain kinds of hymns to the clear Czech
atmosphere. The first movement begins with a brief slow introduction
(Adagio ma non troppo). Typical of Dvořák, it is a mysterious
announcement of the forthcoming main theme performed by the four
instruments. A few energetic chords intensify the sublimity of the
introduction, which ends by the beautiful melodic line and lyrical
relief blending into Allegro appassionato, the main part of the
movement. This fast section abounds in masterful motifs, the main
one being briefly followed by triumphant fanfares, the composer’s
unmistakable salute to his homeland. The second main theme includes
“the harmony of horns”, the motif combination of the tonic sixth,
dominant fifth, and tonic third, which Smetana used to employ so
often that it become a trademark of Czech music. During the
development Dvořák masterfully transforms the main theme, which
becomes so elaborated that it is impossible to employ it at the
beginning of the repetition. He therefore replaces it with the singing
fragment from the exposition, which has previously been present only
temporarily. Approaching the end, Dvořák cannot resist a little joke:
the movement seems to change its cheerful and playful nature
suddenly, becoming serious and sad, and the instruments in the deep
register and reduced tempo begin to create a wistful dialogue based on
the two main preceding motifs. It seems that something very
important and dangerous has blocked the expected flow of events. Yet,
everything was only a brief weakness. Returning to its previous joyful
path, the movement ends by taking away the listeners’ worries and
premonitions, and offers the expected outcome. The joy and exaltation
increase in the second movement (Molto vivace). Dvořák achieves that
by the exuberant scherzo, whose syncopated rhythm resembles the
vigorous Czech dance furiant. Following the main motif, an interesting
melodic line in the same rhythm appears along with indicatively
descending harmonies. In the right place, it is joined by the main
motif, now in the role of its counterpoint accompaniment. The Trio
has a calmer rhythm, but exceptionally warm expression. According to
the rules of form, scherzo is repeated after the Trio. The third
movement (Lento e molto cantabile) is a kind of echo of the preceding
hymn-like Trio. It sails smoothly and with restrain, singing of love and
happiness. Finding shelter in the minor key, the central episode
trembles threatened by the triplet ostinato accompaniment, like a
person worrying about losing his happiness. Having returned, the
main melody resounds with the increasing vigour. The joy manifested
on various levels (from tenderness to ecstasy) radiates from the
Quartet’s second and third movement. It is not surprising, in view of
the fact that Dvořák composed them having returned to his homeland,
in Christmas time, surrounded by his loved ones. The vivacious fourth
and final movement (Allegro non tanto) is a logical culmination of the
piece. Dvořák plays with a small motif, which he gradually expands
and develops, enriching it with new ideas, in order to return to its little
fragment again, and transform it in his irresistibly charming way. His
genuine sense of humour cannot be blocked by any addiction to the
laws of structure, manifested here as a strange combination of the
rondo and sonata form. The second theme of the movement (Molto
cantabile) is again dependable on Smetana’s “harmony of horns” from
the first movement, which additionally contributes to the national
character of the piece. The movement increasingly accelerates, so that
the composer’s themes are at times more difficult to follow, while the
piece unstoppably rushes towards its playfully-carefree ending.
Founder of the Czech modern music Leoš Janáček (1854 - 1928)
composed two string quartets all together. The first, composed in
1923, was inspired by the famous Tolstoy’s story the Kreutzer Sonata,
and the second one, completed in the year of his death, was result of
his most intimate thoughts. Inspired by his love for the forty years
younger Kamíla Stöslová, Janáček originally called the Quartet Love
Letters, and later renamed it into Intimate Letters. According to its
original title, each of the Quartet’s movements was Janáček’s attempt
to set one of his love letters into music. At the peak of his composing
maturity, he discovers and conquers new realms of his melodicharmonic-rhythmic inspiration. After a slow introduction, the first
movement (Andante) is carried by an exceptionally dynamic tonal
stream; its varied parts are skilfully united by the impressive ostinato
accompaniment. In an atypical variation procedure the slow movement
(Adagio) treats the impressionable pentatonic theme, which we already
met in the first movement. This movement reveals the features
resembling those in the first movement through other forms of
reminiscence as well. The general cyclic character of the piece is also
apparent in the third movement (Moderato); it reveals thematic
similarity with the first movement, and the pentatonic theme from the
second movement appears one more time. The final movement
(Allegro) is filled with tense rhythm. It is particularly interesting for its
outstanding solo cadenza freely improvised by the second violin
player.
D. Detoni