ABERDEEN CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERTS
THE SANCTUARY, QUEEN’S CROSS CHURCH
Monday 25th April, 2022
DUDOK QUARTET AMSTERDAM:
Judith van Driel First violin
Marleen Wester Second violin
Marie-Louise de Jong Viola
David Faber Cello
PROGRAMME:
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683 – 1764): Overture, Gavotte, Chaconne
Giovanni Gabrieli (1557 – 1612): Sonata XXI con Tre Violini
Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina (c 1525 – 1594): Ave Maria a 4 voci
Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809) String Quartet in E flat, Op. 20, No. 1
Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897) String Quartet in B flat, Op. 67
In addition to being way up there among Aberdeen Chamber Music Concerts’ most excellent performers, the Dudok Quartet Amsterdam were by far and away the most unusual. This was the result of their programme, beginning with early pre-string quartet music. For their entire programme, they had three very different bows: there was the baroque with its upward arched stick for the three earliest composers, classical with its straight stick for Haydn and finally modern or romantic, with its downward arched stick for Brahms. This was explained to us before the performance as our attention was drawn to a special metal stand for holding the different bows set up behind the performers. Haydn’s music would speak to us we were told, while Brahms’s would sing. They did not mention what the earlier music would do, but I think dancing was certainly an integral part of it, especially regarding today’s very exciting performance.
After Rameau’s Overture which earned an enthusiastic round of applause, the Dudok Quartet went on to perform the other four pieces by the different early composers, rather like a suite, starting with Gabrieli followed by Rameau’s Gavotte, Palestrina’s Ave Maria and finally Rameau’s Chaconne. As far as I can remember, though I am now almost 77 years old, this was the first time I have heard a live performance of any of Rameau’s music. I was familiar with Gabrieli, though only as a composer for organ or brass ensemble, and of course I have heard the vocal music of Palestrina in church. I was even more familiar with his name from hearing my music student friends back in the sixties referring to him not as a composer but as a special musical subject, a kind of musical torture. “Oh hell! We’ve got two lots of Palestrina to hand in before the end of the week. I can never get it right!”
I found the string arrangements of the three early composers a real delight. It is normally Messiaen that we think of if we mention birdsong, but along with dance, Rameau’s Gavotte and especially his Chaconne made me think of happy birds singing in sunlit skies. Gabrieli’s Sonata opened slow and stately but became more and more delightfully ornate. Palestrina’s Ave Maria originally for voices was sung beautifully by our four string players.
Our attention was drawn to the last ACMC performance of today’s Haydn Quartet. It was performed by the Griller Quartet in 1938. I doubt whether any of today’s audience were there but I was certainly glad to be able to hear today’s performance. The opening Allegro moderato received a lively and powerful performance. I particularly enjoyed the vigorous playing of the cellist and thinking back to what we were told about Haydn speaking to us, I was impressed by the discursive playing of all four players. That is the very integral heart of sonata form after all. The Minuetto was wonderfully fleet of foot with the cello at the core of the trio section. The first violin led the third movement with deliciously warm and smooth backing from the other players. The Presto finale had a marvellous lift to it played by all four with admirable flamboyance. It may have been a long time since the last ACMC performance of this Haydn Quartet but it was full of delightful and fascinating music and well worth more such performances.
At the end of the concert, members of the Dudok Quartet handed out English translations of an essay dealing with Brahms’s Third String Quartet which we had just heard. It was excellent and I was pleased to note that the author, Jan Brokken mentioned ‘the String Quartet No. 3 in Bb major as an exceptionally light and cheerful piece’. Listening to the almost quirky mood changes in the opening Vivace I felt that Brahms was having fun. Sometimes almost joking with us or nudging us to join with him in his good humour. The quartet had mentioned Brahms’s music as ‘singing to us’ and that was certainly true of the lovely andante with all four players serenading us so beautifully. The third movement where the two violins and cello are muted but not the viola who gets to steal the limelight was sensational. The warm silky playing of the viola was thoroughly seductive. There were splendid moments of pizzicato for cello and second violin that were a real delight too.
The finale with its variations received a sweepingly muscular performance from the Dudok Quartet. The audience response earned us not one but two encores from the Quartet.
This was not the last concert of the current season. There is still one to come. It is very soon, in just a fortnight. On Monday 9th May the Holland/Savaloni Duo, Flute and Guitar are coming to Queen’s Cross Church. I hope to see you all there!