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56. dubrovačke ljetne igre 56th Dubrovnik Summer Festival 2005 Hrvatska Croatia GUDAČKI KVARTET JANÁČEK JANÁČEK STRING QUARTET Miloš Vacek violina violin Vitezslav Zavadilík violina violin Ladislav Kyselák viola Bretislav Vybíral violončelo cello Atrij Kneževa dvora Rector's Palace Atrium 13. kolovoza 13 August 21.30 9.30 pm Bedřich Smetana: 2. gudački kvartet u d-molu 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: 14. gudački kvartet u As-duru, op. 105 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: 2.gudački kvartet, Intimna pisma 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 postromantic 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