French Music for Piano Quartet
Rachel Huang, Cynthia Fogg, Tom Flaherty, and Stephan Moss perform Gabriel Fauré’s first Piano Quartet and the “Spanish” quartet of Louise Héritte-Viardot.
Sunday, March 1, 7 p.m.
Drinkward Recital Hall
PROGRAM
Spanish Quartet, Fantasy Pieces in the Spanish Style, op. 11
Louise Heritte-Viardot
(1841-1918)
(1841-1918)
I. Paseo – Allegretto
II. Caña – Andantino
III. Serenada – Allegro con moto
IV. Divertimiento – Allegro giocoso
Intermission
Quartet, op. 15
Gabriel Fauré
(1845-1924)
(1845-1924)
II. Scherzo – Allegro vivo
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro molto
PROGRAM NOTES
Louise Heritte-Viardot (1841-1918) was the eldest daughter of the renowned singer
and teacher Pauline Viardot. Her grandfather, Manuel Garcia, was a famous singer and
teacher and was from Seville. She studied singing with her mother and notation with
Gounod, and her home was frequently visited by Rossini and Berlioz. Her singing
career began in 1858 and included several years of teaching at the Saint Petersburg
Conservatory. Ill health brought an end to her singing career and she made a living as a
teacher and satisfied her creative desires with composition, though she was at times the
victim of prejudice against female composers. She was acquainted with Brahms and a
close friend with Clara Schumann.
The Spanish Quartet was published in 1883 and shows the influence of her Spanish
heritage. The title of the first movement, Paseo, refers to walking or a promenade. The
second, Caña, is a couple’s dance of Moorish origin. In the third movement, Serenada,
the piano provides an imitation of the guitar accompanying the serenade, sometimes
strumming quietly, sometimes fervently. The final movement has several playful shifts of
mood before a dramatic ending.
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) was considered the most advanced composer of his time in
France, his work had an influence on many composers of the early 20 th century. In 1871.
Fauré, with Camille Saint-Saëns, César Franck and Alexis de Castillon, formed the
Société national de musique to provide support and an outlet for French instrumental
music. At that time French instrumental works were felt to be of lesser worth compared
to the works of German composers. The Society was responsible an impressive
flowering of French chamber music. His initial forays into chamber music, the first violin
sonata and the two piano quartets, have remained significant parts of the repertoire. He
returned to chamber music at the end of his life with several works of astonishing
beauty and originality, including the second violin sonata and the piano trio.
Fauré’s first piano quartet was begun in 1876. At that time, he was engaged to Heritte-
Viardot’s younger sister, Marianne, so he was likely familiar with Louise’s quartets and
perhaps inspired by them to write his own. Fauré’s quartet was frequently performed
and well regarded during his lifetime. The first movement begins with a dramatic
statement by the strings accompanied by syncopated chords in the piano. Episodes of
lyricism and veiled beauty follow. Fauré’s fluid and highly original sense of harmony is
on full display. The second movement, the scherzo, has a light, playful quality. Rather
than the traditional three beats per bar of most scherzos, this movement uses
compound groupings of 3’s in each measure with the measures themselves grouped in
threes. For some listeners, the composer’s most haunting and beautiful music can be
found in his slow movements and this quartet’s Adagio is no exception. Beginning with
an austere melody in the strings, the music grows warm and lyrical before fading quietly
into a melody accompanied by expressive filigree in the piano. The last movement
contrasts fleet-footed triplets with dotted rhythms to create a strong sense of forward
momentum. After an eerie section of quiet melody and some bravura arpeggios in the
piano, the movement concludes with a energetic shift to the major.
and teacher Pauline Viardot. Her grandfather, Manuel Garcia, was a famous singer and
teacher and was from Seville. She studied singing with her mother and notation with
Gounod, and her home was frequently visited by Rossini and Berlioz. Her singing
career began in 1858 and included several years of teaching at the Saint Petersburg
Conservatory. Ill health brought an end to her singing career and she made a living as a
teacher and satisfied her creative desires with composition, though she was at times the
victim of prejudice against female composers. She was acquainted with Brahms and a
close friend with Clara Schumann.
The Spanish Quartet was published in 1883 and shows the influence of her Spanish
heritage. The title of the first movement, Paseo, refers to walking or a promenade. The
second, Caña, is a couple’s dance of Moorish origin. In the third movement, Serenada,
the piano provides an imitation of the guitar accompanying the serenade, sometimes
strumming quietly, sometimes fervently. The final movement has several playful shifts of
mood before a dramatic ending.
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) was considered the most advanced composer of his time in
France, his work had an influence on many composers of the early 20 th century. In 1871.
Fauré, with Camille Saint-Saëns, César Franck and Alexis de Castillon, formed the
Société national de musique to provide support and an outlet for French instrumental
music. At that time French instrumental works were felt to be of lesser worth compared
to the works of German composers. The Society was responsible an impressive
flowering of French chamber music. His initial forays into chamber music, the first violin
sonata and the two piano quartets, have remained significant parts of the repertoire. He
returned to chamber music at the end of his life with several works of astonishing
beauty and originality, including the second violin sonata and the piano trio.
Fauré’s first piano quartet was begun in 1876. At that time, he was engaged to Heritte-
Viardot’s younger sister, Marianne, so he was likely familiar with Louise’s quartets and
perhaps inspired by them to write his own. Fauré’s quartet was frequently performed
and well regarded during his lifetime. The first movement begins with a dramatic
statement by the strings accompanied by syncopated chords in the piano. Episodes of
lyricism and veiled beauty follow. Fauré’s fluid and highly original sense of harmony is
on full display. The second movement, the scherzo, has a light, playful quality. Rather
than the traditional three beats per bar of most scherzos, this movement uses
compound groupings of 3’s in each measure with the measures themselves grouped in
threes. For some listeners, the composer’s most haunting and beautiful music can be
found in his slow movements and this quartet’s Adagio is no exception. Beginning with
an austere melody in the strings, the music grows warm and lyrical before fading quietly
into a melody accompanied by expressive filigree in the piano. The last movement
contrasts fleet-footed triplets with dotted rhythms to create a strong sense of forward
momentum. After an eerie section of quiet melody and some bravura arpeggios in the
piano, the movement concludes with a energetic shift to the major.
Pianist and harpsichordist Stephan Moss was a student of Teala Bellini and Preethi de Silva. He has also studied composition with Barney Childs and is a frequent chamber music collaborator in the Claremont area and accompanist in the violin studio at Scripps College. After receiving a DMA in harpsichord performance, he has been active as both an IT specialist and a musician. He has appeared as a soloist with Con Gioia in southern California and the Magic Valley Symphony in Idaho. He has been primarily active as an accompanist and chamber music partner to students and to his colleagues.
Violinist Rachel Vetter Huang has performed locally and abroad with several chamber ensembles: the Mei Duo, the Gold Coast Trio, Trio Lykos and Quartet Euphoria, as well as Duo209 and, with Steve Moss, Studio 209. Holding degrees from Harvard University and SUNY StonyBrook, Huang has been a recipient of grants for performance from both the NEA and the NEH. With her husband, pianist Hao Huang, she has co-authored original research into the performance practice of Billie Holiday. In her 40 years of teaching at various schools and universities, she has the privilege of sharing with her students the legacies of three great teachers, with whom she studied; Ivan Galamian, Dorothy DeLay and Robert Koff, all of them both late and lamented.
Cynthia Fogg has performed extensively on both viola and violin in the United States and in Europe. She has played with a variety of organizations including the Pasadena Symphony and Monday Evening Concerts, and has appeared as guest violist with the acclaimed Kronos and Alexander string quartets. Ms. Fogg is currently a member of Quartet Euphoria, and she and her husband, composer/cellist Tom Flaherty, perform together as the duo Celliola, often premiering new solo and duo repertoire. Ms. Fogg has recorded chamber music for Opus One, Cambria, Klavier, Innova, SEAMUS, and Naxos, as well as soundtracks for motion pictures and television, including The X-Files and The Matrix. She currently teaches at Pomona College, Pasadena City College, and Pasadena Conservatory of Music.
Tom Flaherty has received grants, prizes, awards, and residencies from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, American Music Center, the Pasadena Arts Council, “Meet the Composer” and Yaddo. A recording by Nadia Shpachenko and Genevieve Feiwen Lee of his Airdancing was recently nominated for a Grammy®. He earned a BA from Brandeis University, MA and MM from SUNY Stony Brook, and a DMA from the University of Southern California. Published by Margun Music, Inc. and American Composers Editions, his music has been performed throughout Europe and North America, and is recorded on the Albany, Klavier, Bridge, Capstone, SEAMUS and Advance labels. Recent pieces include music for Volti, Speculum Musicae, Mojave Trio, Quartet Euphoria, Genevieve Feiwen Lee, Nadia Shpachenko, Gwendolyn Lytle, William Peterson, and Lucy Shelton. He is Professor Emeritusof Music at Pomona College and is an active cellist in the Los Angeles area.
Violinist Rachel Vetter Huang has performed locally and abroad with several chamber ensembles: the Mei Duo, the Gold Coast Trio, Trio Lykos and Quartet Euphoria, as well as Duo209 and, with Steve Moss, Studio 209. Holding degrees from Harvard University and SUNY StonyBrook, Huang has been a recipient of grants for performance from both the NEA and the NEH. With her husband, pianist Hao Huang, she has co-authored original research into the performance practice of Billie Holiday. In her 40 years of teaching at various schools and universities, she has the privilege of sharing with her students the legacies of three great teachers, with whom she studied; Ivan Galamian, Dorothy DeLay and Robert Koff, all of them both late and lamented.
Cynthia Fogg has performed extensively on both viola and violin in the United States and in Europe. She has played with a variety of organizations including the Pasadena Symphony and Monday Evening Concerts, and has appeared as guest violist with the acclaimed Kronos and Alexander string quartets. Ms. Fogg is currently a member of Quartet Euphoria, and she and her husband, composer/cellist Tom Flaherty, perform together as the duo Celliola, often premiering new solo and duo repertoire. Ms. Fogg has recorded chamber music for Opus One, Cambria, Klavier, Innova, SEAMUS, and Naxos, as well as soundtracks for motion pictures and television, including The X-Files and The Matrix. She currently teaches at Pomona College, Pasadena City College, and Pasadena Conservatory of Music.
Tom Flaherty has received grants, prizes, awards, and residencies from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, American Music Center, the Pasadena Arts Council, “Meet the Composer” and Yaddo. A recording by Nadia Shpachenko and Genevieve Feiwen Lee of his Airdancing was recently nominated for a Grammy®. He earned a BA from Brandeis University, MA and MM from SUNY Stony Brook, and a DMA from the University of Southern California. Published by Margun Music, Inc. and American Composers Editions, his music has been performed throughout Europe and North America, and is recorded on the Albany, Klavier, Bridge, Capstone, SEAMUS and Advance labels. Recent pieces include music for Volti, Speculum Musicae, Mojave Trio, Quartet Euphoria, Genevieve Feiwen Lee, Nadia Shpachenko, Gwendolyn Lytle, William Peterson, and Lucy Shelton. He is Professor Emeritusof Music at Pomona College and is an active cellist in the Los Angeles area.
HMC is deeply grateful for the generous support that created The Ken Stevens ’61 Founding Class Concert Series.