University of Virginia Library

Quartet Superb In
Tuesday Concert

By Myles Tronlc

Playing an assortment of works
by Mozart, Beethoven, and Ravel
before a near capacity audience in
Cabell Hall Auditorium, the
heralded Guaneri String Quartet
turned in a superb performance in
the first of this year's Tuesday
Evening Concert Series.

The concert opened with Mozart's
"Adagio and Fugue in
minor, K. 546" which, although
impeccably performed, left much
to be desired. The fault is Mozart's
or the Guaneri Quartet's in selecting
this work, but nevertheless the
listener is baffled, not knowing
whether Mozart is serious or just
playing an obnoxious joke in order
to mock an earlier style of music.

The "Adagio and Fugue" is a
poor imitation of the Italian Baroque
style and the brilliant fugal
writing of Bach. To be sure, the
listener could have easily have been
fooled into thinking that the Fugue
was written by a serious upper-class
man as a basic exercise in polyphonic
writing in one of the
college's music theory courses. The
grade, no doubt, would have been
a lenient

Romantic Quality

The highlight of the program
was without doubt the "Quartet in
flat major, Opus 127" of
Beethoven, the second work to be
performed in the concert. This
rarely heard work is one of
Beethoven's late quartets and is an
example of their highly romantic
quality and somewhat strained
structure.

The opening Introduction, labeled
"Maestoso" was given all the
heaviness it demands by the Guaneri
Quartet. The following "Allegro"
or swift movement, has all the
liveliness of Beethoven's earlier
quartets, but there is an additional
element of heavy romantic
which seems singular to the listener
who is accustomed to the earlier
quartets of Beethoven.

Slow Movement

The Guaneri's execution of the
"Adagio" or slow movement with
its long flowing theme was excellent.
The following "Scherzo."
literally "joke" movement sounds
far more like the Beethoven most
ears are accustomed to than do the
preceding two movements. The
virtuoso players gave the "Scherzo"
all the life and spirit it needs and
added to the excitement of the
movement with rapid
changes in volume. The running
passages, long staccato passages,
and surprise pauses made this
movement the most delightful in
the quartet.

The "Finalo," a very rich and
melodious end to this work, is a
contrast of emotions. Gravity is
juxtaposed with levity up to the
quartet's closing passage which
sounds like the end of Beethoven
symphony, long and powerfully
drawn out. The demand for power
from just four strings was well met
by the Guaneri players in this final
passage.

Futile Culture

After a brief intermission, during
which members of the audience
could retire to Cabell Hall's plush
lounge of gray-painted brick, the
third and final work was performed.
At this point, many of the
seats which had been previously
occupied during the first half of the
concert were now empty. Perhaps
again this year, the University's
attempt to instill culture into the
Wahoos may be a futile one.

Highest Praise

Nothing but the highest praise
should be given to the Guaneri for
its performance of Ravel's "Quartet
in F major," which itself does
warrant some criticism.

The greatest fault of the "Quartet
in F major" is that it is too
typically Ravel, and too typically
French. The opening movement is
so gentle that it seems to suggest a
pastoral of bucolic scene, The
second movement is marked by
such a great amount of siting
plucking, making the listener think
he is at a square dance, and thus the
second movement makes a very
proper sequel to the bucolic first
movement. The third movement of
the quartet is quite a contrast to
the rather frivolous preceding
movement. It is slow, serious,
passionate and even suggestively
erotic. To be sure, the fourth and
final movement of the work appropriately
compliments the third. It is
marked by unrest and continuous
jerking agitation.

The members of the Guaneri
String Quartet, Arnold Stird
violin, John Daley, violin, Michael
Tree, violin, and David Soyer, cello,
were warmly applauded by the
audience throughout the entire
concert, especially after the Beethoven
quartet. If these virtuoso had
any ideas about doing an encore,
they were soon dispelled by the
ladies and gentlemen who immediately
dashed for the exits in
record-breaking time.