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CHAMBER MUSIC REVIEW
Cypress Quartet's Central European Discovery
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By Mark Alburger
It was one of those "well-balanced," thematic programs that seem
to be fostered by music schools--classical, romantic, modern selections all with connections to Vienna--but in the modern camp nothing written by any composer alive within the last 50 years. Can anything be learned from such a program?
Well, as a matter of fact, yes. The principal revelation in the Old First Church concert given by the young, Bay-Area-based Cypress Quartet on Sunday was Erwin Schulhoff's "Five Pieces for String Quartet." Schulhoff, who lived from 1894 to 1942 before perishing in a Nazi concentration camp, is an exciting composer well worth the recently increased attention that he has been receiving. His "Five Pieces" are so little known that they are not mentioned in the New Grove's Dictionary of Music's modest article on Jewish Czech Communist composers.
These are all delightful dances; the first, "Alla Valse Viennese: allegro," second violinist Tom Stone characterized as "not your typical waltz, because it's in four." (Four/four time instead of three/four.) But in truth this stern "cabaret Bartók," was apparently in three a fair bit of the time, and, in whatever meter, was most appealing. The second "Alla Serenata: allegretto con moto"--called by Stone an "awkward, uneven, Arabic, erotic dance"--was even more so, like an extremely lopsided, extended waltz. Where the first dance often had cellist Jennifer Kloetzel's pungent pizzicato and arco low notes on beat three, these strokes were now delayed until beat five. Breathless scurrying and light, off-the-string work faded into nothingness.
The composer's Eastern-European homeland was overtly referred to in "Alla Czeca: molto allegro," with first violinist Cecily Ward transformed into an almost Transylvanian gypsy, producing a hollow sustaining tone before the sudden ending. While "Alla Tango milonga: andante" alluded to Argentina, there was ever the hint of a Weimar-era diseased world of the falsely celebratory. The final "Alla Tarantella: prestissimo con fuoco" had enough dynamic and head-bobbing excitement to do Captain Hook proud. Throughout, the Cypress Quartet communicated a real sympathy, understanding, and love for this music.
As for the Anton Webern works on the program, it was lamentable
that the Cypress Quartet played the historical curiosity, "Langsamer Satz," and bagged the scheduled important piece, "Six Bagatelles for String Quartet." As if to mollify the crowd, Ward noted that "Langsamer Satz" ("Slow Movement") is "not a 12-tone work, but instead was inspired by Mahler's Sixth Symphony." Nevertheless this earlier work was in good form, orchestrally-doubled violins and all, sounding as it always does--not at all like the music upon which Webern's fame lies, but instead as much like Wagner as Mahler.
Without the lightness of the "Five Pieces," the second half of the
program was a heavy-hitter, the Webern followed directly by the dignified yet passionate, stately yet soulful outbursts of Brahms' "String Quartet No. 2." The Cypress played Brahms as he must be: low, rich, textures allowing Kloetzel and violist Ann Gregg to shine.
The program began with a sunny reading of one of Haydn's "Sun" quartets, Op. 20, No. 4. As elsewhere in the program, the players showed themselves a first-rate ensemble, with attention to dynamics, phrasing, and tone. They made the composer sound like his old positivist, life-affirming self in the winsome third movement (short and sweet and utterly captivating--so terse that it borders on the perfunctory--Haydn on a typical deadline?). The Cypress captured Haydn's humor, rusticity, simplicity, and sophistication.
Spoken program notes by members of the quartet were exemplary. The Cypress Quartet is a talented group of whom we expect to hear more. One was only left wanting to hear a voice from a living Viennese composer. And next time, how about some Americans? And, dare way say it? Some Bay Area composers?
(Mark Alburger is Editor-Publisher of 20th-Century Music Monthly
Journal, and an ASCAP composer published by New Music Publications and Recordings.)
©1998 Mark Alburger, all rights reserved
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