By Anna Jimenez
Attending the Schneider Concerts 2024-25 series this past October at the New School Auditorium (virtual attendance for me) was a truly fulfilling experience I did not know I needed. Performed by the Verona Quartet, I experienced Joseph-Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major (1903), Wynton Marsalis’ Creole Contradanzas from String Quartet No. 1 “At the Octaroon Balls” (1998), Leila Adu Gilmore’s String Quartet “If the Stars Align” (2016) and Beethoven’s String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2 (1808). It was a remarkable experience. This was my first classical concert, where I learned it is always possible to try and branch out and experience something new. You might find something about the music, and you might also find out more about yourself!
My initial reaction after watching the Verona String Quartet’s performance was that attending a classical concert had been long overdue. First, it was in a very intimate setting. The venue allowed the music to take center stage, literally and figuratively, and shine. The concert was also live-streamed on the internet, which is how I enjoyed it. I had to prepare a space to give my full attention to the music. I did not find that difficult at all. In the comfort of my home, I could detach from the outside world by ensuring a quiet room with dimmed lights (to mirror a performance in a venue). Naturally, I put the stream on my big TV, and it felt as if I was part of the live audience (it did help that I was partially able to see it during the streaming). With technological advances, I think allowing viewers to “attend” from afar is remarkable.
Jonathan Ong and Dorothy Ro played the violin, Abigail Rojansky was on the viola, and the cello with Jonathan Dormand were all breathtaking. I fully agree with the New York Times, stating that the quartet is an “outstanding ensemble…cohesive yet full of temperament”. (About — the Verona Quartet, n.d.)! I love storytelling through music (with or without lyrics). With their name, Verona Quartet, paying homage to one of the greatest narrators, William Shakespeare (About — the Verona Quartet, n.d.), and from the vibrant performance I attended, I can say the quartet fully seizes the art of storytelling. The Verona String Quartet’s performance was my first classical concert, and I did not know what to expect, but it exceeded whatever I had envisioned. All the quartet members were equally talented and dedicated to their craft. They were passionate, and this was evident in their music. They were formally dressed in black not to distract, and to let the music be in the spotlight.
The beginning of the concert was very well-balanced. The third movement of the Ravel, Tres Lent, evoked deeper feelings, also seemed slower and somewhat heavier, and less exciting. The fourth movement, Vif et agite was brilliant! The synchrony between the two violins, the cello and the viola, was unmatched. The second movement, Assez Vif from Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major, was more dynamic for me and was my favorite part of the concert. It was quite playful and optimistic, with a few intense moments. I enjoyed the suspense created by Jonathan Dormand’s cello. The piece was composed by Maurice Ravel, a French composer of Swiss-Basque descent, noted for his musical craftsmanship and perfection of form and style (Myers, 2024b). The String Quartet in F major was finished in 1903 when Ravel was 28 years old. According to Wikipedia, it was dedicated to Gabriel Fauré, Maurice Ravel’s teacher, who attended the first performance in 1904 but was not greatly taken by the piece. Claude Debussy, the author of a piece that the work was designed after (although quite different), enjoyed it more. The finale I enjoyed during the concert (Vif et agité) reverts to the F major of the first movement. It is loosely in the form of a rondo. It reasserts itself with brief moments of calm sections, including a reference to the first subject of the opening movement and turbulence of the opening bars of the finale. And then, the work ends vigorously.
Wynton Marsalis’ Creole Contradanzas from String Quartet No. 1, “At the Octaroon Balls” was unique. I could hear the roots of Creole music, which was very enjoyable. I visited New Orleans for the first time this spring, and the piece brought me back there. However, I found it hard to concentrate as I never thought of these sounds as classical music. That does not mean I did not enjoy it. The opposite, actually; it was like trying a new flavor of ice cream- stimulating and invigorating.
Beethoven’s String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2 is what I hear when I think of classical music. Very grand, tumultuous, and restless!
Overall, the Verona String Quarted’s performance was stimulating and fulfilling. It was an inspirational listen that requires your attention and evokes your emotions. It is always possible to try branching out and experiencing something new. You might find something about the music, and you might also find out more about yourself! I would love to dedicate more time to classical music. Classical music is not the type of music that is going on in the background. One has to invest themselves in it. Great experience!
References
About — The Verona Quartet. (n.d.). Verona |||| Quartet. https://www.veronaquartet.com/bio
Myers, R. H. (2024, October 18). Maurice Ravel | Biography, Music, bolero, Compositions, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maurice-Ravel
October 31st, 2024
Wikipedia contributors. (2024a, April 27). String Quartet (Ravel). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_(Ravel)
