Emerson Quartet Pulls All the Right Strings

Author: Richie Lawless

This past Saturday, the Emerson String Quartet graced a sold-out audience with their music in the Center for the Arts (CFA) Concert Hall. Foregoing the traditional setup of all four members sitting, viola player Lawrence Dutton and violinists Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer stood, while cellist David Finckel sat. All four members greeted the audience with warm smiles as they walked across the stage.
The members of the Emerson String Quartet are no strangers to the College. Not only have they performed numerous times at Middlebury since their first visit in 1981, but they also received honorary doctorates from the College in 1995. The quartet also has a special relationship with the CFA, having inaugurated the center's grand opening with a performance 10 years ago.
Now in their 26th year of performing together, the quartet is world-renowned for its unsurpassed technical ability and passionate approach to music. Over the years, the quartet has been awarded six Grammys — and nominated for many more — for its classical recordings of Shostakovich, Beethoven and Bartok, among others.
After a welcoming applause, the foursome energetically launched into their first piece, Beethoven's "Quartet in F Major, op. 18, No. 1." The piece was divided into four movements: The upbeat "Allegro con brio," the subtler "Adagio," the brief burst of "Scherzo: Allegro molto" and "Allegro" to conclude. The technical prowess with which the quartet handled Beethoven was astounding. At one point, in the middle of the piece, there was a section punctuated by extended pauses, lending to the intensity of the concert. In between each rhythmic stroke, the players held their bows up high, poised for the attack, while the audience looked on in eager anticipation.
Throughout the sweeping crescendos and sudden rhythmic changes, the quartet looked positively joyful, making the performance seem effortless. Yet, as seasoned music students and regular concert goers know, the complexity of their performance made it anything but a piece of cake.
The second piece the quartet played, Dmitri Shostakovich's "Quartet No. 8 in C minor, op. 110" — which, completed in 1960, was considerably more contemporary — contrasted excellently with the classical sound of Beethoven. The five movements into which the piece was divided were played without pause.
Opening with "Largo," the quartet created an ominous soundscape by delicately shifting between major and minor chords. This slower movement eventually gave way to a dissonant pounding of the strings, filling the concert hall with chaotic intensity. After this climax, the piece continued on, suddenly switching from minimalism to a full and booming sound.
The piece ended slowly and quietly, embracing silence as part of the music. For a split second there was a complete silence before waves of applause thundered through the concert hall. For many audience members who were asked, the Shostakovich piece was the pinnacle of an evening full of highlights.
The quartet took the stage once again after intermission to play their final piece of the evening, Felix Mendelssohn's "String Quartet in D Major, op. 44, No. 1."
As they had done throughout the night, the players started the first movement, "Molto Allegro vivace," in perfect unison. The opening movements' bright and melodic sound filled the hall with energy. Mendelssohn's piece became increasingly complex, with all four musicians playing completely different notes and parts at once, before giving way to the more mellow "Menuetto: Un poco Allegretto." The lead melody in this movement was beautifully complemented by the other strings, and provided a relaxing counterpart to the vigorous first movement.
One of the piece's most gripping moments was at the end of the third movement, "Andante," when the quartet gave their bows a rest and plucked the strings of their instruments for a brief period before the forceful beginning of the fourth movement, "Presto con brio."
The melodies were well-executed by the quartet's astounding precision, and the piece culminated in a triumphant flourish. As the audience erupted in applause, the Emerson String Quartet bowed gratefully, and exited the stage in the same elegant manner in which they entered, smiling and thanking the audience as they went.
There was nothing but unanimous praise for the quartet among the audience. When asked about the concert, music student Ian Ausprey '04 noted that, "As always, the Emerson String Quartet provided us with a lovely, amazing performance."
The Emerson String Quartet continues to tour worldwide, and will hopefully return to the College for many years to come.