In concerts, pieces are performed straight through, with (one hopes) little evidence of the challenges the players faced in putting it together. Many audience members have not had the chance to watch a group rehearse, and I think that’s a shame, for a couple of reasons.
I’ve heard many audience members use words like “magical” and “mysterious” to describe an ensemble at work, and though that’s flattering, it’s also a little misleading. Though a great performance will contain both magic and mystery, how that performance gets assembled is really interesting, and witnessing the process makes the players and our work seem less unusual, something I think everyone benefits from. This Friday night, if you’re in Cincinnati, you’ll get the chance to see how it all works.
The give and take of rehearsal is, to me, the most satisfying (and sometimes, frustrating) part of being in a chamber ensemble. Each member may have wildly differing opinions about how fast the piece should go, how long or short the notes should be played, or whose part should be heard most clearly in a given section.
Results may vary.
In all seriousness, the compromise and collaboration that take place in rehearsal make playing chamber music so special. As I’ve written before here, it’s also a great model for human behavior, one which is particularly needed these days, and one which we look forward to sharing with children in our school program next fall (more details on that in the days ahead – we are finalizing arrangements with Cincinnati Public Schools to be the ensemble in residence at a school newly designated as an arts magnet!).
We also want to share it with you – and you’ll get the chance to watch us rehearse this Friday (June 3), from 6 to 9 P.M., at the Kennedy Heights Arts Center’s beautiful Lindner Annex (6620 Montgomery Road). The KHAC is 4-Way’s fiscal agent, and has graciously included us in this month’s Open Studios, where resident artists show and discuss their work. There will be food and drinks, as well as the opening of Kate Kern’s new exhibit, “Drawing on Second Sight,” in the gallery pictured above.
So get some wine, pull up a chair and watch us put together quartets by Haydn and Brahms. We’ll pause from time to time to answer questions, too. Maybe you’re interested in seeing musicians collaborate, maybe you’re thinking about hosting a house concert for us, or maybe you just want to hear some great music – whatever your reason for coming, it should be a lot of fun. Hope to see you there!
Today would have been my father’s 78th birthday. Last year on this day, I wrote a post about pieces with family connections, including ones I had recently played. Well, it’s happened again – this weekend, I played another piece that takes me back to the beginning of my musical life, and it was my dad who introduced me to it.
When I was about 7 or 8, my dad got me a Superscope cassette recorder (pictured above) and a few recordings of pieces he thought I should hear, including Stravinsky’s Firebird and Mozart’s 39th Symphony. One of them was of Schubert’s 9th Symphony, with Eugen Jochum conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony.
Last night, ProMusica performed this monumental piece – you can read the review here. Before we played, our music director, David Danzmayr, talked to the audience about how his dad had introduced him to the piece as a kid, too.
Schubert 9 is a massive piece, lasting just under an hour. Its nickname is is “The Great,” but I think it should be called the “Ginsu.” Those of you old enough to remember the TV commercials for those knives will understand – “Now how much would you pay? Don’t answer yet – you also get…” Each movement is twice as long as in his other symphonies, and Schubert makes sure you get your money’s worth. Here’s a link to a recording on Spotify – make sure you’re not in a hurry!
And for those of you to young to who missed out on the commercial, here it is:
And in the spirit of Ginsu – but wait, there’s more! On my way home last night after the concert, I turned on the radio and heard Miles Davis’s remarkable “Godchild” from the “Birth of the Cool” album my father treasured. It was a nice reminder that I can still feel in touch with him, meeting up in the musical world where he spent so much of his life and was my first and most important guide.
Today is Bach’s 331st birthday! 4-Way celebrated yesterday, with a performance at Cincinnati Museum Center, as part of Bach In The Subways, the annual celebration of JSB’s big day. If you haven’t already, take a few minutes today and play or listen to some Bach – it’s a nice way to wish him a Happy Birthday, and will make up for the present you forgot to get him.
It’s Election Day where I live today, and unless you’ve been off the grid entirely, you know that politics isn’t bringing people together as much as it might. But there is hope – I offer you this picture as proof that people can overcome their differences, no matter how great they may be.
In 4-Way rehearsals, Will and I look past his unfortunate choice of football teams our contrasting views, and work together. So, when you go to vote, and feel discouraged by the distance you feel from the “other side” (whichever one that is), take comfort in knowing that Will and I, along with Kevin and Sujean, are setting a better example, forging our often competing and conflicting views into a better interpretation than any of us could come up with alone. Maybe our elected officials could follow our example.
If you want to see the power of cooperation and compromise in action, please come see us this Sunday, March 20, at 2 P.M. at the Cincinnati Museum Center – we’ll be performing as part of Bach In The Subways 2016 to celebrate JSB’s 331st birthday! Bring the family (the Children’s Museum is right downstairs), and while you’re at it – bring your congressperson – they might learn something!
In my last post, I talked about the upcoming debut of 4-Way, this Sunday at 2:30 at the Taft Museum. Here’s a video preview, with footage from a recent rehearsal in my living room, a very appropriate setting- much of the great chamber music repertoire was intended to be played in private homes, something we plan to do a lot of ourselves (more on that soon). Hope you enjoy this sneak peak and if you’re in town, please come by on Sunday!
The news these days is full of examples of selfish, destructive behavior – lucky for me, I’m part of something that shows what can be achieved with cooperation and compromise.
Readers of this blog know I’ve been talking for a long time about my dream of being part of a chamber ensemble, and it’s finally happening. Meet 4-Way, Cincinnati’s String Quartet.
With me from left, violinist Sujean Kim, violist Kevin Boden and violinist William Manley. I am so glad these guys agreed to do this – quartet playing is the most gratifying kind of music making there is, and it’s especially so when you’re getting to work with people you care about and respect!
We have been busy rehearsing for our first concert, taking place Sunday, March 13 at 2:30 P.M., in Cincinnati’s beautiful Taft Museum of Art. In celebration of the Taft’s new Impressionist exhibit, we’ll be playing Ravel’s String Quartet, along with Beethoven’s Op. 18 #6 and short pieces by Gershwin and tango master Carlos Gardel.
Readers of this blog know I have little patience for the distance classical music’s traditions place between performers and audience. Central to 4-Way’s mission is removing that distance. The March 13 concert will have the quartet surrounded by the audience (Beethoven in the round) – no matter where you sit, you’ll have a great view of the interplay that makes quartets so compelling. We’ll also make a point of talking to the audience about everything we play, and will present concerts in settings that encourage new listeners to come, like schools, community centers and offices.
We’re also looking for a home – actually, several! In the fall, 4-Way will begin providing free lessons and chamber music coachings to underserved children in our city – we’re currently in discussion with several local schools to find the right place. In support of this essential part of the group’s mission, we’ll be holding fundraising house concerts over the next few months – if you want to host one, please let me know! We’ll also be having a crowdfunding campaign in the coming months – more on that soon.
In the coming weeks, we’ll also be posting stories and short videos from rehearsals, as well as profiles of members of the group, with conversations about what makes chamber music so special to us. All these will be on the quartet’s website, as well as our Facebook page (please take a moment and give us a like!).
If you’re in Cincinnati, I hope to see you on the 13th at the Taft Museum! If not, there’ll be more to come soon!
