I had it all arrange to be back to Palais Garnier for their piano and string concert first time this year. Who knows, a sudden global pandemic had forced all the performances to be cancelled at least to the beginning of 2021. Luckily, I had already enjoyed the noontime musical under that splendid dome last November.
The sun shines brightly in the autumn morning in Paris. I walked along the River Seine and passed through the Museum Louvre; travelled from the southern bank of the River Seine to Palais Garnier on the Avenue de l’Opéra. Meanwhile, there are already quite a few of the audience waiting on the plaza for the security check and the beggars begging for money one by one.
One of my favourite parts of the seat in the auditorium is the fifth to the seventh row in the orchestra.
Haydn String Quartet in C major “Emperor” Op. 76, No.3. 》
After the bell rang, it was about to start the first half of the musical, the string quartet composed by Haydn.
Kodaly Quartet 1988 Recording
The first movement, Allegro
Haydn was a composer with a strong thematic style. He used to set up an obvious theme at the beginning of the piece that ran through the first movement. It seemed that the agile notes and the clattering dotted notes were resembling my rapid breath due to the long walk and the exciting heartbeat because of the cheerful feelings.
In the middle of the movement, under the sedate accompaniment of the viola and the cello, the first and second violin created an atmosphere of a pleasant walk in the countryside with a short transformation filled with the Hungarian style. It was just as the enchanted weather outside of the Palais Garnier this day.
Kodaly Quartet 1988 Recording
The second movement, Poco adagio cantabile
Haydn used his anthem “Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser” as the theme to compose a solemn second movement. Different from the other variations that had diverse forms, the second movement of the “Emperor” had been keeping its distinct theme. Haydn only played around with the layer of the string instruments, established a slow and riverlike melody.
Sitting under the grand decorations while listening to such a peaceful and sacred movement in the Palais Garnier, I felt like I can understand the sincere pray from Haydn for praying long-live for his beloved emperor and the nation.
Kodaly Quartet 1988 Recording
The third movement, Menuet allegro
Short, long, short, long… here were the delightful dotted notes played by the string instruments again after the dignified poco adagio. The first theme of the movement is the captivating minuet, I could imagine that maybe it was the feast in the grand palace after chanting the anthem in front of the emperor. The notes were prolonged in the second theme, brought out a little bit of the loneliness. Well, there might be a wallflower like me in this dazzling feast.
Kodaly Quartet 1988 Recording
The fourth movement, Presto finale
Suddenly, the string quartet clanged 3 times of the powerful C minor chord. Sometimes calm and sometimes rapid, the cello created an awe-inspiring air with the semiquavers of the violins. Unlike previous movements, the finale with the minor chord had been delivering the turbulence; just like the lava that was ready to explode at any time.
At the end of the finale, the chords finally turned back to the C major and responded the first to the third movement.
During the end of the 18th century and the 19th century was the famous period of the “First Viennese School”, also known as the narrowly-defined “Classical Music”. The composers during this innovative period combined the Baroque and folk style compositions. At the same time, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven were known as the three dominant masters of this era.
Among these master composers, Haydn was not only the “Father of the Symphony”; composed 68 pieces for the string quartet, he was also the “Fashion of the String Quartet”. Before Haydn, fewer composers were composing this type of genre. With plenty of innovation and research, he set the basis of chamber music for the later ages.
Postscript. 》
A 10-minute intermission came after the “Emperor” and a late-coming couple could finally take their seats, that made me need to move back to the edge and continued enjoying Beethoven’s string quartet in C minor there.
Amadeus Quartet, Deutsche Grammopho 2009 Recording
