C. A. Debussy - String Quartet in G minor Op.10
1st mov. Animé et très décidé
2nd mov. Assez vif et bien rythmé
3rd mov. Andantino, doucement expressif
4th mov. Très modéré – En animant peu à peu – Très mouvementé et avec passion
This performance is part of various programs played at the 34th Eagon Concert. The complete concert video is linked below.
[Program Note]
Debussy wrote only one string quartet. He originally planned to compose two string quartet pieces and dedicate them to his friend, the composer Chausson.
However, Chausson's response to the
first quartet was negative, which soured their relationship. The Ysaÿe Quartet premiered the piece at a concert organized by the National Society of Music in France but received a cold reception and criticism from critics and the audience.
Today, however, String Quartet in G minor Op. 10 has become Debussy's representative work and the most pleasant and unique piece in the string quartet history.
Pierre Boulez said that with this work, Debussy had freed chamber music. Debussy said the following when he composed this piece:"I will forget the music of the past. It will only get in the way of listening to sounds that I might not know now but might discover tomorrow."
Debussy used a cyclic theme, a method characterized by the recurrence of the same theme throughout all the movements, as César Franck did. Debussy also applied medieval modes by deviating from traditional tonal scales and harmonies, establishing the distinctive identity of his music. Above all, his attempts to guide the flow of music through changes in the rhythm opened up new possibilities for string quartets.
[Performer]
The Staatskapelle Berlin String Quartet is comprised of string section members from the Staatskapelle Berlin. Based on the prestigious orchestra's 450-year-old tradition, the ensemble held its first concert a decade ago as part of Daniel Barenboim's chamber music cycle.
The current string quartet members -- first violinist Wolfram
Brandl, who leads the ensemble; second violinist Lifan Zhu; violist Joost Keizer; and cellist Claudius Popp -- have been performing together since 2016. They have inherited the musical orientation of the Staatskapelle Berlin, which has upheld the tradition of string music, and they have pursued modern sounds and aesthetics based on the distinct tonal quality that the orchestra has maintained for centuries.
In 2017, the Staatskapelle Berlin String Quartet performed
Schubert's string quartets at the world-renowned Pierre Boulez Saal. They have connected with audiences through numerous concerts featuring a variety of repertoires, encompassing both modern and traditional music.
Wolfram Brandl | 1St Violin
Lifan Zhu | 2nd Violin
Joost Keizer | Viola
Claudius Popp | Cello