Par VAUGHAN WILLIAMS RALPH. Quartet in C Minor is in four movements with a total duration of about 25 minutes. The opening Allegro is Dvorák-ish in its lyricism, though there is a darker, more brooding atmosphere towards the close. It is tempting to detect a hint of folk-song in the theme of the Andantino, played by the Viola, but that may be stretching hindsight too far. The movement has a wistful melancholy that carries over into the following Intermezzo, a song-like episode containing some of the most virtuosic writing in the work. The last movement is a theme and six variations with a fugal ending. The theme is ballad-like with a suggestion of 18th-century elegance. Modality creeps into the second Adagio variation and there is rhythmic exhilaration in the succeeding Presto. What can be admired in this attractive quartet is its conciseness. This String Quartet was his first major composition of any kind. / Niveau : Intermédiaire / Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes

Par VASKS PETERIS. ‘Christmas – Peace on Earth’ is the leading motive of the String Quartet, a tenet of faith as well as an expression of hope. In the first part of the work Vasks uses themes from a well-known Christmas carol, while the second part is strongly influenced by Latvian folksongs and dances. The third section, with a chromaticiscm strongly reminiscent of Shostakovitch, investigates and questions the feasibility of any peace in our society. The final, calm and slightly melancholy section symbolizes ‘Peace on Earth’ by means of sonorous sustained choirs./ Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes

Par DESSAU PAUL. Paul Dessau described his Third String Quartet, begun at Laguna Beach near Los Angeles in 1943, as predominantly lyrical. The song-like, melodious main theme of this one-movement work emerges from a series of notes grounded in tonality. A contrapuntally separated little semiquaver figure acquires increasing importance and points the way ahead to the greater rhythmical turbulence of the middle section. Syncopated imitative devices add intensity to the music until all this activity is calmed down again in the extended Coda. By working names into his music as quotations Dessau pays musical homage to two of his aesthetic forefathers - Bach and Schoenberg - during a creative period spent in exile./ Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes

Arrangement: Cohen Mary. Par COHEN MARY. 'Stringfest ' est une collection de mélodies populaires avec imagination arrangé pour les groupes de la chaîne. La musique a été aménagée avec une flexibilité supplémentaire pour répondre à une variété de situations et les capacités de chaque pièce, y compris les pièces de duo (grades 2-3) qui peuvent être utilisés de façon indépendante, ainsi que des pièces très simples pour les débutants et les accompagnements piano facultatifs. Le format de pack ' Stringfest ' est particulièrement utile pour l'enseignant et comprend une note de piano et un CD amélioré de parties de la chaîne imprimable pour chaque instrument comme fichiers PDF afin que vous pourrez imprimer exactement ce que vous avez besoin. Le CD comprend aussi accompagnement au piano choeurs des pistes pour une aide supplémentaire avec la pratique et de la performance. / Niveau : Facile / Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes