J.S. BACH, Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
Originally conceived for the two-manual harpsichord, the Goldberg Variations were said to be written for Count Kaiserling, the former Russian ambassador to the electoral court of Saxony, to lift his spirits during his sleepless nights caused by insomnia.
The set of variations are based on the ground bass heard in the aria (theme), which is actually a sarabande, a slow and stately baroque dance with a strong emphasis on the second beat. Distinct to this magnificent work is the internal organization of the variations. Every third variation is in the form of a canon, which is made even more special through an ascending pattern of intervals which the second voice of the canon of each variation enters. In essence, while variation three is a canon at the unison, variation six is a canon at the interval of a second, variation nine at the third, so on and so forth.
The string trio version is a transcription by the Russian violinist, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, who does this work great justice, by allowing each voice and layer in the texture to be heard and appreciated for its full value.
LOUIS SPOHR, Grand Duo Concertante, Op. 67/2
Louis Spohr was a composer who unlike Haydn, enjoyed great popularity and success during his lifetime, but quickly faded into oblivion in the decades after as the newer, harmonically and formally heavier styles of late German Romanticism took over. A self-taught composer who was also a gifted violinist and conductor, he represented the early Romantic era of German music, and left behind a large catalog of works. He is mainly remembered today for his pedagogical violin studies and pieces, but this cheery and lighthearted duo concertante - a brilliant showpiece for two equal voices - remains as a symbol of Spohr’s writing at its finest. With its catchy melodies and virtuosity, it’s easy to see why this composer was well-loved by the audiences of his generation.
GERALD FINZI, Romance Op. 11
British composer Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) lost his father by the age of 8, and soon after, all three of his siblings passed on as well. As a result of these personal losses, Finzi’s music has been described as being elegiac and often full of sadness. Best known as a choral composer, the Romance (1928) is a rare gem in the string orchestra repertory. Beginning from a moment of stillness, the music eventually opens up to reveal a richness of tone that conveys a sense of the English countryside.
JOSEPH HAYDN, String Quartet Op. 33/2, Hob. III:38 “The Joke”
Written in 1781, this string quartet is the second in an instalment of six, which were dedicated to the Grand Duke Paul of Russia. As a set, it was nicknamed “Gli scherzi” (The Jokes), because they were written in a highly personal and mature style of Haydn, which explored Classic humor and wit.
The Allegro moderato starts off warmly and full of naivety, playing around with the pickup motif that we hear right at the beginning in the first violin, which starts the piece. Sometimes, the motif is used as an echo or as curious “backup singers” if you will, full of questions that imitate the main line our ear is drawn to, creating a comical backdrop. The Scherzo is buoyant and rhythmic, featuring interwoven conversation among the quartet voices, and occasionally bringing us to questioning harmonies which help set up the return of the main theme. The Trio is almost lazy and content in contrast. Here, the first violin slides along the string (as indicated on the score as a glissando), almost like an operatic diva, to a beat that feels like a folk-like dance. The viola is at the forefront with the melody (which is rare at the time) in Largo e sostenuto, and despite its rustic and calm nature, the movement is not without surprises – Haydn plays around with sudden changes of volume in abrupt chords set in syncopated rhythms. Light-hearted and light-footed is the Finale, whose principal theme alternates constantly with contrasting ones in what is called a rondo form. The ending is where the joke is situated – in its last iteration, the principal theme is set with great hesitancy through a series of pauses, ending with nothing but a sliver of a whisper.