Tyler Brandon
MUL 235
Fall 2015
Concert Report #1
The Dover Quartet: A Historic Journey
On Sunday, October 4, 2015, I had the incredible joy of listening to the Dover Quartet, a rather young string quartet which is known throughout the world. The quartet presented an incredible concert that exemplified true musical energy. The Dover Quartet is truly expressive and passionate about the music that the members play. I found the energy and the communication on the stage to be very impressive and enjoyable. This concert was varied in the fact that it presented pieces from three important time periods in music: the classical period, the romantic period, and the modern period. It provided a diverse and an often very contrasting musical …show more content…
The first movement, “Allegro ma non troppo,” began with a bouncy section of what I believe to be dotted rhythms. Eventually, the rhythm becomes smoother with straight rhythmic values. However, when the dotted rhythm returns in the beginning and midway in the movement, underlying eight notes keep the rhythm. When this dotted melody is placed over major chords, it gives what I describe as a pastoral sound. This melody is passed through the ensemble, changing from major to minor often. The end of the movement is much faster than the beginning of the …show more content…
The melody then continues in the minor key, presented with stylistic contrast, such as legato, staccato, and marcato. The initial theme returns in the end of the movement to complete it.
The piece concludes with the fourth movement, “Finale: Vivace ma non troppo.” This movement was started by the second violin. Dotted rhythms return, providing playfulness in the piece. The first violin repeats the melody with ornamentation. The movement switches between heavy marcato sections and playful staccato sections. At the climax of the movement, the melody is heard unison through all the voices. A soft, flowing section then ensues. The movement ends with a very loud and repetitive ending. It created true excitement in the room. As it shows, the Dover Quartet provided an exciting concert that showcased three pieces from three different eras of music. Each piece effectively exemplified the characteristics of each of those periods. The Quartet by Mozart showed the use of gradual dynamic changes, changes in mood, and unified forms. We are then presented nearly the exact opposite with extreme dissonance and unpredictable qualities of the modern era in Ainsi la nuit by Dutilleux. Finally, we see longer, warm melodies with more expression and tone color in the romantic Quartet by Dvořák. This was a diverse and interesting
MUL 235
Fall 2015
Concert Report #1
The Dover Quartet: A Historic Journey
On Sunday, October 4, 2015, I had the incredible joy of listening to the Dover Quartet, a rather young string quartet which is known throughout the world. The quartet presented an incredible concert that exemplified true musical energy. The Dover Quartet is truly expressive and passionate about the music that the members play. I found the energy and the communication on the stage to be very impressive and enjoyable. This concert was varied in the fact that it presented pieces from three important time periods in music: the classical period, the romantic period, and the modern period. It provided a diverse and an often very contrasting musical …show more content…
The first movement, “Allegro ma non troppo,” began with a bouncy section of what I believe to be dotted rhythms. Eventually, the rhythm becomes smoother with straight rhythmic values. However, when the dotted rhythm returns in the beginning and midway in the movement, underlying eight notes keep the rhythm. When this dotted melody is placed over major chords, it gives what I describe as a pastoral sound. This melody is passed through the ensemble, changing from major to minor often. The end of the movement is much faster than the beginning of the …show more content…
The melody then continues in the minor key, presented with stylistic contrast, such as legato, staccato, and marcato. The initial theme returns in the end of the movement to complete it.
The piece concludes with the fourth movement, “Finale: Vivace ma non troppo.” This movement was started by the second violin. Dotted rhythms return, providing playfulness in the piece. The first violin repeats the melody with ornamentation. The movement switches between heavy marcato sections and playful staccato sections. At the climax of the movement, the melody is heard unison through all the voices. A soft, flowing section then ensues. The movement ends with a very loud and repetitive ending. It created true excitement in the room. As it shows, the Dover Quartet provided an exciting concert that showcased three pieces from three different eras of music. Each piece effectively exemplified the characteristics of each of those periods. The Quartet by Mozart showed the use of gradual dynamic changes, changes in mood, and unified forms. We are then presented nearly the exact opposite with extreme dissonance and unpredictable qualities of the modern era in Ainsi la nuit by Dutilleux. Finally, we see longer, warm melodies with more expression and tone color in the romantic Quartet by Dvořák. This was a diverse and interesting