We went to a fabulous concert today, the last concert of the Howland Chamber Music Circle, and it was truly lovely. In fact I rave about most of these concerts and the last two have been exceptional.
Today we heard the Peabody Trio perform the Beethoven Trio in B-flat major, the "archduke" and the Schubert Trio #1 in B-flat major. Somehow it didn’t connect in my brain that both were in B-flat major until I wrote this, I suppose it is not the kind of thing I notice or would notice, another sign of something lacking in my education and perceptions of the world I suppose.
G tells me that the Beethoven "archduke" is one of his favorite pieces of music and this performance was fabulous. I love this trio, and although I wouldn’t quite call it a favorite, there is something about Beethoven that just thrills me to no end. I love the mix of fun and seriousness, humor and pathos, like everything in the world is wrapped up in a piece of music. In the B-flat major trio, the third movement is incredibly ethereal and moving, one can almost get lost in its beauty.
But then, just in case you have allowed yourself to wallow off in a fog of otherworldly beauty, Beethoven slaps you upside the head with the beginning of the fourth movement, which proceeds without pause like a jolt of lightening. Now that the listener has been shocked out of his or her reverie, it is hard not to smile at the irrepressible humor in the final movement, bubbling along and escalating into the fabulous conclusion. The audience almost rose up in unison at the last note with great applause (and this must have been the practice run because the swell of rising listeners was perfected for the repeat performance at the end of the Schubert)
Ah Beethoven and Schubert, how better to end the season. Not only that but we had more Beethoven three weeks ago, when I was indulged in a breathtaking performance of my favorite quartet. The Alexander Quartet played Beethoven’s String Quartet #13 Opus 130 with the concluding Grosse Fuge. I don’t know why I don’t think of this piece more often. Each time I hear it in its entirety I think it is just perfect. I don’t believe I always heard the quartet played with the fifth movement (the Grosse Fuge) and I do remember that the first time I heard the complete original work with the included Fuge, I was STUNNED. I can’t imagine the quartet without that ending, it ties everything up . I am amazed that it was dropped, although not surprised at Beethoven’s chagrin that it was not liked. I believe he is reputed to have said "asses", or did I dream that?
Now of course I was aware of the Grosse Fuge before, and I don’t really remember if my father’s recordings of Beethoven’s quartets played the 13th in the original version (5 movements) or in the altered version as I heard the music and absorbed it but didn’t really think about it until after I left home. But I certainly know that I have heard quite a few performances of the four-movement 13th, more than the five-movement version. It is such a shame too.
So, two fabulous concerts.
Oh yes, the Schubert was nice too, how could it not be? It is such a fresh, bright, cheery piece, and as I said before it was followed by a great welling-up of the audience in appreciation.