June 13 Penderecki Quartet
Program notes
Johannes Brahms: String Quartet No. 3 in B-flat Major, Op. 67
By the time Brahms composed his third and final string quartet in the summer of 1875, he was already established as one of Europe’s leading composers. Yet, for all his fame, Brahms approached the string quartet with a sense of reverence and caution, famously destroying some twenty earlier attempts before allowing his first two quartets to be published. The Third Quartet, however, reveals a composer at ease with the genre, and it stands apart for its warmth, wit, and unbuttoned charm.
Brahms wrote the quartet during a peaceful summer in Ziegelhausen, near Heidelberg, a period also marked by the completion of his long-awaited First Symphony. He later dedicated the quartet to Professor Theodor Wilhelm Engelmann, an amateur cellist and friend, but with a playful twist: despite the dedication, the cello is given a largely supportive role, while the viola—a favorite instrument of Brahms—frequently takes center stage.
The opening movement, Vivace, bursts forth with a buoyant, horn-like theme that evokes the spirit of the hunt, its 6/8 rhythm lending a sense of motion and rustic festivity. Brahms’s contrapuntal skill is evident throughout, as melodies are passed around the ensemble in intricate dialogue, yet the music remains light on its feet, never weighed down by complexity.
The second movement, Andante, offers a lyrical respite. Here, the first violin sings a gentle, folk-like melody over a rocking accompaniment, creating an atmosphere of intimacy and nostalgia. Brahms’s gift for variation is on display, as the theme is subtly transformed and colored by the other instruments.
The third movement, Agitato (Allegretto non troppo), is the emotional heart of the quartet. Marked by muted strings and a restless, syncopated rhythm, it features the viola in a plaintive, almost vocal role. The music is tinged with melancholy, its shadowy textures contrasting sharply with the surrounding movements.
The finale, Poco allegretto con variazioni, is a set of variations that returns to the mood of the opening, full of good humour and sparkling invention. Brahms’s use of variation form allows each instrument to shine, and the quartet ends with a sense of joyful resolution. Though less frequently performed than his earlier quartets, Op. 67 is a work of subtle mastery—an affectionate farewell to the genre by a composer at the height of his powers.
Dinuk Wijeratne: Two Pop Songs on Antique Poems (2014)
Dinuk Wijeratne is a composer, conductor, and pianist whose music reflects a vibrant synthesis of global influences. Born in Sri Lanka, raised in Dubai, and now based in Canada, Wijeratne brings a cosmopolitan sensibility to his work, blending elements of classical, jazz, and world music traditions. Two Pop Songs on Antique Poems, written in 2014 for the Afiara Quartet, is a compelling example of his ability to bridge genres and eras.
The work consists of two movements, each inspired by a poem from a distant past: the first by the 11th-century Persian polymath Omar Khayyám, and the second by the British poet Robert Bridges. Rather than setting the texts directly, Wijeratne uses the poems as springboards for wordless melodies, inviting the listener to imagine the emotional worlds they evoke.
The first movement, “A Letter from the After-life,” is built on a hypnotic groove, with rhythmic patterns that recall both pop and Middle Eastern music. The string quartet is transformed into a rhythmic engine, with pizzicato and percussive effects driving the music forward. At moments, fragments of Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” quartet surface, woven seamlessly into the texture—a nod to the enduring power of melody and the way music can transcend time and culture.
The second movement, “I Will Not Let Thee Go,” is more introspective, its yearning melody unfolding over a gentle, syncopated accompaniment. Here, Wijeratne explores the expressive possibilities of the string quartet, drawing on techniques from both classical and popular music. The result is a sound world that feels at once ancient and modern, familiar and new.
Throughout the piece, Wijeratne challenges the performers to embrace the immediacy and rhythmic vitality of pop music while also honouring the expressive depth of classical chamber music. The work is a testament to the universality of song—a reminder that, across centuries and continents, music remains a powerful vehicle for human connection.
Franz Schubert: String Quintet in C Major, D. 956 (“Cello Quintet”)
Few works in the chamber music repertoire inspire such awe and reverence as Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major. Written in the autumn of 1828, just two months before the composer’s untimely death at the age of 31, the quintet is often hailed as Schubert’s greatest achievement—and one of the crowning glories of Western music.
Unlike most string quintets, which add a second viola to the standard quartet, Schubert’s quintet features a second cello, creating an unusually rich and sonorous texture. This choice allows for a remarkable depth of sound, with the lower strings providing both a solid foundation and a source of profound lyricism.
The first movement, Allegro ma non troppo, opens with a luminous C major chord, but the music quickly veers into more shadowed territory. Schubert’s gift for melody is everywhere apparent, but so too is his penchant for harmonic adventure: the music moves through unexpected keys and moods, balancing radiant optimism with moments of deep introspection.
The second movement, Adagio, is perhaps the most famous of all Schubert’s slow movements. The opening section is a study in stillness, with the first violin and first cello spinning a melody of otherworldly beauty over gently pulsing chords. In the central section, the tranquillity is shattered by a stormy outburst, only to subside once more into the music’s original serenity. This juxtaposition of light and darkness, hope and despair, is characteristic of Schubert’s late style, and it lends the movement an almost spiritual dimension.
The Scherzo, with its driving rhythms and exuberant energy, provides a welcome contrast. Its trio section, however, returns to the world of the Adagio, offering a haunting, almost elegiac interlude. The finale, Allegretto, is a masterful blend of folk-inspired dance and sophisticated counterpoint, full of unexpected twists and turns. The music alternates between exuberance and melancholy, ultimately concluding with a coda that seems to bid farewell not only to the work, but to life itself.
Schubert’s C major Quintet is a work of extraordinary emotional range and depth—a meditation on mortality, transcendence, and the enduring power of music. In its seamless fusion of lyricism, drama, and structural mastery, it stands as a fitting testament to the genius of a composer who, in his brief life, gave the world so much.
Program Note Reflection:
Tonight’s program offers a journey through the evolution of chamber music, from Brahms’s genial classicism, through Wijeratne’s genre-defying modernity, to Schubert’s transcendent final masterpiece. Each work, in its own way, explores the possibilities of the string ensemble—its capacity for dialogue, colour, and emotional expression. Whether rooted in the past or reaching toward the future, these pieces remind us of the enduring vitality of chamber music and its power to speak across time and place.
By the time Brahms composed his third and final string quartet in the summer of 1875, he was already established as one of Europe’s leading composers. Yet, for all his fame, Brahms approached the string quartet with a sense of reverence and caution, famously destroying some twenty earlier attempts before allowing his first two quartets to be published. The Third Quartet, however, reveals a composer at ease with the genre, and it stands apart for its warmth, wit, and unbuttoned charm.
Brahms wrote the quartet during a peaceful summer in Ziegelhausen, near Heidelberg, a period also marked by the completion of his long-awaited First Symphony. He later dedicated the quartet to Professor Theodor Wilhelm Engelmann, an amateur cellist and friend, but with a playful twist: despite the dedication, the cello is given a largely supportive role, while the viola—a favorite instrument of Brahms—frequently takes center stage.
The opening movement, Vivace, bursts forth with a buoyant, horn-like theme that evokes the spirit of the hunt, its 6/8 rhythm lending a sense of motion and rustic festivity. Brahms’s contrapuntal skill is evident throughout, as melodies are passed around the ensemble in intricate dialogue, yet the music remains light on its feet, never weighed down by complexity.
The second movement, Andante, offers a lyrical respite. Here, the first violin sings a gentle, folk-like melody over a rocking accompaniment, creating an atmosphere of intimacy and nostalgia. Brahms’s gift for variation is on display, as the theme is subtly transformed and colored by the other instruments.
The third movement, Agitato (Allegretto non troppo), is the emotional heart of the quartet. Marked by muted strings and a restless, syncopated rhythm, it features the viola in a plaintive, almost vocal role. The music is tinged with melancholy, its shadowy textures contrasting sharply with the surrounding movements.
The finale, Poco allegretto con variazioni, is a set of variations that returns to the mood of the opening, full of good humour and sparkling invention. Brahms’s use of variation form allows each instrument to shine, and the quartet ends with a sense of joyful resolution. Though less frequently performed than his earlier quartets, Op. 67 is a work of subtle mastery—an affectionate farewell to the genre by a composer at the height of his powers.
Dinuk Wijeratne: Two Pop Songs on Antique Poems (2014)
Dinuk Wijeratne is a composer, conductor, and pianist whose music reflects a vibrant synthesis of global influences. Born in Sri Lanka, raised in Dubai, and now based in Canada, Wijeratne brings a cosmopolitan sensibility to his work, blending elements of classical, jazz, and world music traditions. Two Pop Songs on Antique Poems, written in 2014 for the Afiara Quartet, is a compelling example of his ability to bridge genres and eras.
The work consists of two movements, each inspired by a poem from a distant past: the first by the 11th-century Persian polymath Omar Khayyám, and the second by the British poet Robert Bridges. Rather than setting the texts directly, Wijeratne uses the poems as springboards for wordless melodies, inviting the listener to imagine the emotional worlds they evoke.
The first movement, “A Letter from the After-life,” is built on a hypnotic groove, with rhythmic patterns that recall both pop and Middle Eastern music. The string quartet is transformed into a rhythmic engine, with pizzicato and percussive effects driving the music forward. At moments, fragments of Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” quartet surface, woven seamlessly into the texture—a nod to the enduring power of melody and the way music can transcend time and culture.
The second movement, “I Will Not Let Thee Go,” is more introspective, its yearning melody unfolding over a gentle, syncopated accompaniment. Here, Wijeratne explores the expressive possibilities of the string quartet, drawing on techniques from both classical and popular music. The result is a sound world that feels at once ancient and modern, familiar and new.
Throughout the piece, Wijeratne challenges the performers to embrace the immediacy and rhythmic vitality of pop music while also honouring the expressive depth of classical chamber music. The work is a testament to the universality of song—a reminder that, across centuries and continents, music remains a powerful vehicle for human connection.
Franz Schubert: String Quintet in C Major, D. 956 (“Cello Quintet”)
Few works in the chamber music repertoire inspire such awe and reverence as Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major. Written in the autumn of 1828, just two months before the composer’s untimely death at the age of 31, the quintet is often hailed as Schubert’s greatest achievement—and one of the crowning glories of Western music.
Unlike most string quintets, which add a second viola to the standard quartet, Schubert’s quintet features a second cello, creating an unusually rich and sonorous texture. This choice allows for a remarkable depth of sound, with the lower strings providing both a solid foundation and a source of profound lyricism.
The first movement, Allegro ma non troppo, opens with a luminous C major chord, but the music quickly veers into more shadowed territory. Schubert’s gift for melody is everywhere apparent, but so too is his penchant for harmonic adventure: the music moves through unexpected keys and moods, balancing radiant optimism with moments of deep introspection.
The second movement, Adagio, is perhaps the most famous of all Schubert’s slow movements. The opening section is a study in stillness, with the first violin and first cello spinning a melody of otherworldly beauty over gently pulsing chords. In the central section, the tranquillity is shattered by a stormy outburst, only to subside once more into the music’s original serenity. This juxtaposition of light and darkness, hope and despair, is characteristic of Schubert’s late style, and it lends the movement an almost spiritual dimension.
The Scherzo, with its driving rhythms and exuberant energy, provides a welcome contrast. Its trio section, however, returns to the world of the Adagio, offering a haunting, almost elegiac interlude. The finale, Allegretto, is a masterful blend of folk-inspired dance and sophisticated counterpoint, full of unexpected twists and turns. The music alternates between exuberance and melancholy, ultimately concluding with a coda that seems to bid farewell not only to the work, but to life itself.
Schubert’s C major Quintet is a work of extraordinary emotional range and depth—a meditation on mortality, transcendence, and the enduring power of music. In its seamless fusion of lyricism, drama, and structural mastery, it stands as a fitting testament to the genius of a composer who, in his brief life, gave the world so much.
Program Note Reflection:
Tonight’s program offers a journey through the evolution of chamber music, from Brahms’s genial classicism, through Wijeratne’s genre-defying modernity, to Schubert’s transcendent final masterpiece. Each work, in its own way, explores the possibilities of the string ensemble—its capacity for dialogue, colour, and emotional expression. Whether rooted in the past or reaching toward the future, these pieces remind us of the enduring vitality of chamber music and its power to speak across time and place.
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