Stream: SCO - Mozart & Faure
This is the second of a new series of streamed concerts from the SCO. It consists of two works for piano quartet, Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G Minor K478 (written 1785) and Faure’s Piano Quartet No1 in C minor Op 15(written 1876-79, and revised 1885 with a new finale).
To our 21st century ears both sound like conventional examples of the genre but both were regarded as unusual works for their period. The piano quartet existed before Mozart, but earlier composers had regarded the strings as providing a pleasant accompaniment for the piano. The G minor was written as the first of a set of three commissioned by Viennese publisher Franz Hoffmeister, who intended to sell them as pieces for amateur musicians. When he saw the first and realised that Mozart’s challenging parts for all four instruments were far beyond the capabilities of a domestic players, he cancelled the other two (while honouring his financial commitment to Mozart).
The SCO have assembled a quartet of top-class players. Philip Higham, their Principal Cello, Felix Tanner, sub-principal viola, and Maria Wloszczowska, Polish violinist with a distinguished record as a soloist and orchestra leader, join Edinburgh pianist Susan Tomes. Tomes returned to Edinburgh in 2015 to continue her distinguished international solo career. She says this is her first opportunity to play with other musicians in a year, and she finds it a heart-warming experience.
A composed presence at the grand piano, Tomes clearly does enjoy this performance. She plays from a printed score – with a practised page-turner, who turns back the pages for the long repeat in the first movement. But she and the other players watch each other attentively and communicate clearly. As Hoffmeister’s reaction to the piece indicates, it’s a complex work with scarcely any section where one instrument takes over for more than a few seconds. The severe unison opening recurs from time to time, the theme is passed between the players, sometimes as a “question and answer” and sometimes with two of the strings in harmony. During the brief middle section, there’s a slightly longer passage for the piano, but otherwise the players are all engaged throughout. The fugal section at the start of the development is particularly effective. We have become used to hearing Mozart on the fortepiano, but the rich sound here from the older string instruments with the modern piano is very appealing. A long crescendo brings the movement to a satisfactory conclusion.
The piano begins the slow movement on its own, then is joined by the strings accompanying the melody before a more intricate pattern develops. The piano remains in charge throughout, and the movement’s quiet and apparent simplicity is controlled beautifully by all the players. Mozart moves into the major key for the Scherzo. The strings echo back the piano in the first section, with more elaborate phrases developing. The briefer second section is more serious with threatening lower strings underlying more rapid runs on the piano before the recapitulation with ornamentation, and the addition of a third theme. The music rushes to a dramatic end with a jocular false ending and then a final flourish.
The turbulent period in Faure’s personal life before he wrote his quartet in C minor in 1876-7 is explored in David Kettle’s illuminating programme notes. Despite being rejected in love, Faure presents a quartet which is mostly optimistic in tone. In her introduction, Tomes points out that Faure’s training had been in church music rather than at the conservatoire like most of his contemporaries. She feels that his sparing use of motifs from church music gives his work a unique flavour. It’s in four movements. The first is marked Allegro molto moderato, an unusual indication of speed. The stormy opening, with some pizzicato on the cello, and much work for the lower notes on all the instruments leads to the emergence of a more delicate theme. Its development on the piano is soon picked up by the violin and then the viola and cello. Eventually a crescendo builds, with some rumblings in the lower strings and extensive runs on the piano. As Tomes indicated there’s an ecclesiastic feel to the chord sequence which ends the movement.
Pizzicato viola accompanies a jaunty opening to the scherzo second movement. A more rhythmic section follows in which the plucked strings continue to keep time. After a quieter passage in the strings with the piano providing a flowing accompaniment a return to the first theme brings the movement to a brisk close
An entirely new mood dominates the third movement marked Adagio. It’s begun with long legato phrases in the strings before the piano introduces a solemn theme. A lyrical air on the violin soars above the piano and lower strings. This lovely section may be where Faure most clearly develops his own feelings, with an intense melody in the cello predominating as it moves to its close.
A spirited Allegro restores the cheerful tone in the final movement. There are thoughtful and stormier moments, but they don’t last long, and the players enjoy a number of soaring interactions, with virtuosic playing from all.
This most enjoyable concert is available free on the SCO website/YouTube until the 11th of April, where you’ll also find other recent concerts to explore. Please make a donation to support the SCO to keep its online work accessible to all.
