Marcel Krasner, director, and

present

Smetana’s Pragueat

Ida K. Lang Recital Hall at HunterCollege

March 23, 2014, 2:00PM

Alexander Dreyschock: String Quartet in A Major, Op. 1051) Allegro maestoso2) Andante cantabile3) Allegro scherzando—trio 4) Finale: allegro con fuoco

Bedřich Smetana: String Quartet #1 in e minor, “Z mého života”(“From MyLife”)

1) Allegro vivo appassionato2) Allegro moderato a la polka3) Largo sostenuto4) Vivace

IntermissionFrantišek Jan Škroup: String Quartet #1 in F Major, Op. 24

1) Allegro animato

2) Andante grazioso3) Scherzo: allegro vivace4) Finale: allegro appassionato

Julia Meynert, violin — Eric Silberger, violin — AndrewJoseph Gonzalez, viola — Marcel Krasner, cello

THE PROGRAMPrague was always a major cultural center in the Western World.

Specifically in the musical spheres, from the earliest days of codifiedhistory, the presence of a cosmopolitan conglomeration of musical influences,as well as a healthy presence of the local, Bohemian, stylings, Prague couldbe counted among the large centers of musical Europe—Paris, Vienna, Milan,Venice, Leipzig and others.

In the eighteenth century, when music was evolving—becoming more of apublic art form, moving from the nobility’s realms to the common-folk, andwhen personality began to shine forth in the creations of the individualcomposers—the centrality and importance of Prague was not lost on the greatestmusicians and composers. That Mozart premiered his—arguably—most importantopera, Don Giovanni, at Prague speaks volumes of the way the city and itspopulation made music a primary feature of its identity.

However, to speak of the musical scene of Prague at circa the end of theeighteenth century through circa 1850, is to speak of an era of explorationand discovery of the distinctive ‘Czech’ sound. Heavily influenced by theGerman, Austrian and even French schools of musical expression, Prague was notfully going to sound Czech until the concerted efforts toward that sound ofBedřich Smetana in the middle of his career. Instead, Prague was a destinationfor composers and performers from around Europe, to show off their talents inthis historic city.

But Smetana was not a product of a creative vacuum. His earliest creativedays in Prague were spent amid, and enhanced by, the great talents thatresided there—all of them of Bohemian stock. František Škroup was the maestroof the opera house where some of the greatest operas of the day were beinggiven, and where his own operas, which were finally portraying Czech themes

2

and ideals, were creating a nationalist stir. In the salons of Prague as wellas in its concert halls and palaces, Alexander Dreyschock was thrilling andamazing audiences with his brilliant, if highly percussive, renderings of thegreatest piano works from across Europe. He too was sharing his greatcompositional powers with the Prague audiences, as the sound of the Czechpeople was being determined, refined and created for the rest of the world toappreciate.

Alexander Dreyschock (October 15, 1818  Žáky, Bohemia –

April 1, 1869, Venice Italy)

String Quartet in A Major, Op. 1051) Allegro maestoso2) Andante cantabile3) Allegro scherzando—trio 4) Finale: allegro con fuoco

At a time when superb virtuosity wasthe rave of European concert life, in thewake of such great titans as Paganini andLiszt, the Prague concert scene did notlack its own mad virtuoso. What madeaudiences flock to Prague was theincredible pianistic prowess of AlexanderDreyschock.

Some critics of the time point out that Dreyschock’s sound andapproach to music was not novel or particularly pleasing. He had a habitof pounding the piano loudly and vigorously, which, especially whileperforming Frederic Chopin’s more delicate music, was not consideredsuitable or desirable. Nevertheless, the man sold out concert afterconcert, and his appearances were chronicled and discussed with greatgusto by the populace. He was definitely the celebrity of Prague. His

3

compositions, mostly for piano—never particularly Bohemian in flavor—borehis own stamp of unbridled virtuosity and flair.

So, in his career as both performer and composer he soon arrived at adifficult situation. He found that he was taken seriously only up to apoint. The fact that he was being criticized seemingly for the samereasons Franz Liszt was being lauded, bothered him. They had beencompared in the press for a long time, but Dreyschock was considered alackluster composer, at best, while his intention always was to be ofgreater importance.

He therefore set out to solidify his reputation as a composer withthis quartet. The string quartet had long been viewed, by composers andsociety alike, as a prime medium whereby one could announce theirseriousness as a composer. The harmonic language; instrumental blending;consideration to the limitations and breadth of the instruments withinthe quartet—all lend to the recognition of a composition’s quality. Acomposer who can effectively compose a quartet, therefore, is a master.

But Dreyschock being Dreyschock, produced a fantastically huge soundin his humble quartet. The thundering passages that run through thisoften lyrical, at times heavy and irresolute quartet, is the benchmark ofa man who unapologetically asserted how and what he’d compose—the town’scritics be damned!

Bedřich   Smetana (March 2, 1824, Litomyšl, Bohemia – 

May 12, 1884, Prague, Bohemia)

String Quartet #1 in e minor, “Z mého života”(“From My Life”)

1) Allegro vivo appassionato2) Allegro moderato a la

polka3) Largo sostenuto4) Vivace

“The Father of Czech Music” is thetype of accolade that makes the rightfulreputation of Bedřich Smetana stand apartfrom most of the roster of historic

4

composers. “Papa Haydn, the Father of the Symphony” is indeed such an accoladewhich justifiably suits the legacy of Franz Joseph Haydn; “The Father ofModern Orchestration,” similarly, is the accolade well earned by HectorBerlioz. But what behooves us to laud Smetana in such an honorific?

Smetana was a relatively humble servant to music insofar that heapproached composition with the single objective of honestly making musicin his own image. Though this goal is usually shared by all musicians, hedistinguished himself by letting all his musical energies out, at theperil of being ridiculed or misunderstood. At the time that heunabashedly infused his scores with Czech music—both borrowed and created—it was considered uncouth to do so. The German occupation of Prague, atleast culturally, was so thorough and invasive, that to embrace anddeclare one’s patriotism in the Czech ideal, culture and people, was nota wise way to make one’s way.

Nevertheless, with conviction and skill, Smetana pushed forth in hisquest to establish a distinctive ‘Czech music’ to celebrate his country’scontributions to the music of the world, and he succeeded at it. It is inhis name, indeed, that the study of nationalism in music history, begins.

By the time he composed this, his first quartet, he was fully deaf—quite like Ludwig van Beethoven had been when he wrote his iconic ‘late’quartets. Beethoven’s precedent in this case, however, was not limitedto the auditory conditions of the composer; like Beethoven, Smetanablazed new paths in the way he structured the quartet, creating not onlynew music but new standards. The quartet was composed with an explicitlyautobiographical program to it, something hitherto never attempted. Inthe interest of allowing the composer to guide us himself, here is theprogram as Smetana wrote it in a letter to his friend Joseph Srb-Debrnov:

“I had no intention of following any recipe thataccords with a conventional formula, although I am wellacquainted with all of them, having worked at them whena student. The form of a work should build itself outof the subject, and this quartet has created its ownform: in it I have tried to depict the course of my ownlife.

The first movement depicts my love of art in youth, itsromantic supremacy, the inexpressionable yearning for

5

something which I could not clearly define—and also awarning of future misfortune.

The second movement, a quasi-polka, brings to mindthose days of my youth when I was a passionate lover ofdancing and composed enough dance music to bury theworld. The middle section conjures up recollections ofthe aristocratic circles in which I lived for manyyears…

The third movement, largo sostenuto, evokes the bliss ofmy fond love for a girl who afterwards became myfaithful wife.

The fourth movement describes the discovery that Icould portray the national element in music and my joyin following that path until catastrophe overwhelmedme, the beginning of the deafness which carried with itthe prospect of a wretched future. The long-drawn-outnote on the first violin represents the fatalwhispering in my ear in the highest register that in1874 announced my deafness. I permitted myself thislittle joke because it was a personal indication ofthat disaster. A small ray of hope presages a possibleimprovement in my condition, but remembering all thepromise of my early career the predominant feeling isone of painful regret.

This is more or less the meaning of the work. It iswritten in the form of a quartet because it is to someextant of an intimate nature, and I feel sure that onlya small and friendly circle can speak adequately ofwhat affects me so profoundly. That is all.”

There was no conflict in his mind as to what he wanted out ofcomposing this quartet, but he knew that he was creating something newwith this work. He commented to his friend, “as to the style of mystring quartet I gladly leave the judgment to others, and shall not feelannoyed if they do not like it, since it admittedly stands apart fromthe hitherto accepted quartet style.” Indeed, throughout the story ofthe quartet one can see just how much he channeled Beethoven as a model

6

toward originality and toward the resolution to create music despite hisdeafness and the resultant depression.

František Jan Škroup (June 3, 1801, Osice, Bohemia –

February 7, 1862, Rotterdam, Netherlands)

String Quartet #1 in F Major,Op. 24

1) Allegro animato2) Andante grazioso3) Scherzo: allegro vivace4) Finale: allegro

appassionato

The name of František Škroup is notreadily recognized nowadays. Hiscontributions to music were not soinsignificant that his legacy would warrantsuch obscurity, but he lived in places and

worked at a time when very distinct originality was the call of the day in orderthat posterity be more favorable. Nevertheless, one specimen of his music,despite his obscurity otherwise, is not only still sung, but it is sung by awhole nation: the Czech people venerate their country and people via theirnational anthem, Kde domov můj?, composed by František Škroup for his operaFidlovačka. 

So how can such an important composer have become so forgotten? Romanticism,as a movement among artists, was not friendly to those who comfortably hearkenedback to the great examples of their forebears. Though Škroup was a trend-setter in many ways, creatively he was very much a product of the great

7

legacy of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and his own countrymen, Tomašek andVolkert. His primary musical endeavor, opera—which was considered, inPrague as elsewhere, the epitome of musical creation—was at first very‘German,’ with valiant attempts to assert Czech folk influences into it.He succeeded at creating with his music great patriotic fervor in thehearts of the Bohemian public, and with his rising popularity he set thestage, essentially, for the rising star of the revival of Czech identityin music, Bedřich Smetana.

Little is known about his string quartets. The string quartet, as aunit of composition, was of great significance to any composer of thetime, since its study and composition suggested great grasp and clarityof the craft of composition. Nevertheless, the fact that Škroup was aflutist and singer, gives us the difficulty: why he composed three stringquartets.

In this quartet, his first, he does indeed rely—at times verycharmingly faithfully—on the idioms of Haydn and Mozart, only tentativelyincorporating Romantic ideas into his arrangement. But in the third andfourth movements, he very deliberately challenges himself—and theaudience—with some obviously Bohemian flourishes in the thematic materialas well as their treatment, pushing the rhetorical envelope to includesome nationalistic utterances.

Program notes by David Teitelbaum,berliozviolist@aol.com

The Ensemble Julia Meynert, violin, born in Bochum,Germany into a German-Japanesefamily on June 16th, 1986, got herfirst violin lessons at the age of 5with Sigurd Josbaecher. When she was 14 she studied withprofessor Roman Nodel, as a young

student at the Hochschule für Musikund Darstellende Kunst Mannheim.At the age of 16 an officialstudent there (Diplom KünstlerischeAusbildung). In 2006 she moved toVienna to continue her studies withprofessor Pavel Vernikov at theVienna Conservatory (KonservatoriumWien Privatuniversität). From 2005to 2007 Julia studied at the Scuoladi Musica di Fiesole in Italy withprofessors Pavel Vernikov andOleksandr Semchuk. In June 2010 sheearned her Bachelor’s diploma at theVienna Conservatory in the class ofProf. Zwiauer.

8

Julia has performed all over theworld. In the USA, Germany, Austria,France, Italy, Croatia, Serbia,Ukraine, Switzerland and Sloveniawith the pianists Ana Dimova, RainerMaria Klaas, Aleksandar Simic andDmitri Korneev. In Summer 2007 sheperformed at the final concert atthe “Carl Flesh Academy” as asoloist with the PhilharmonicOrchestra of Baden-Baden (Germany).In 2009 and 2010 she performed atthe International Music Forum Trentaheld by the Vienna PhilharmonicOrchestra. In March 2011 she playedat Steinway Hall in New York City,and in April 2012 she performed atWeill Recital Hall.

Eric Silberger, violin, is a prizewinner of the XIV InternationalTchaikovsky Competition and theMichael Hill International ViolinCompetition in 2011. Hisperformances have been described bycritics as  "spine-tingling..astonishing confidence"(The Guardian), "dazzling virtuosoplaying" (The WashingtonPost), "bold, technically solid,charismatic" (Indianapolis Star),"impeccable level of playing, awonderful musician" (HeatherKurzbauer, The Strad), and “soelectrifying” (DC Theatre Scene). Born into a musical family, Eric isa fourth generation violinist. Erichas performed as soloist, recitalistand chamber musician throughout theUnited States and around the world,including solo performances with theSt Petersburg Philharmonia, ChamberOrchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre,Munich Chamber Orchestra,

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra andthe Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra,among others. He has appeared atLincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, theKennedy Center, the Louvre in Paris,the Great Hall of the St PetersburgPhilharmonia, The MoscowInternational House of Music inRussia, Shanghai Grand Theatre inChina, the National Arts Centre inCanada and more. Among numeroustelevision and radio appearances inthe United States, Asia and Europe,he was featured on Radio France, STVin China, KBS in Korea, and WQXR,WFYI, FOX 59, WISH-TV and NPR amongothers.Upcoming solo engagement highlightsof the 2014/2015 season include asolo performances the PhilharmoniaOrchestra in London and the DanishNational Symphony in Denmark underthe direction of Maestro LorinMaazel. Eric is the CEO of Jukubox LLC, acompany dedicated to connecting theworld through online music lessons.Eric plays on a rare J.B. Guadagniniviolin from 1757 on generous loanfrom the Sau-Wing Lam collection.

Andrew Gonzalez, viola, is a fourthyear undergraduate student of HeidiCastleman and Hsin Yun Huang. Heserves as a principal violist of theJuilliard Orchestra and has been asoloist with the Juilliard Orchestrain Don Quixote under the directionof Leonard Slatkin in May 2013.Andrew has performed in numerousorchestral halls and chamber musicvenues throughout the United Statesincluding Alice Tully Hall, VanWezel Hall, Peter J Sharp Theater,

9

Carnegie Hall, and The SarasotaOpera House.  He is an alumnus ofthe Perlman Music Program, HeifetzInternational Music Program,Sarasota Music Festival, NorthAmerican Viola Institute and theInterlochen Center for the Arts.Andrew has collaborated with ItzhakPerlman, Arnaud Sussmann, NobukoImai, Daniel Phillips, Edward Arron,Shmuel Ashkenasi, Mark Peskanov, andAmit Peled.Andrew, as an avid chamber musicianboth in the United States andabroad, has performed with ItzhakPerlman and various alumni of thePerlman Music Program during the2012 chamber music concert seasonheld in New York, Mexico, Canada andVirginia. In addition, Andrew hastaken part in the Perlman MusicProgram's Stowe, VT residency, whichis a community outreach endeavor tomentor young musicians, for the pasttwo years. Other recent performancesinclude the Masterwork ConcertSeries at Barge Music in NYC withthe Vela Trio, the Heifetz CelebrityConcert Series at Black Friars PlayHouse in Staunton, VA, performingSinfonia Concertante with DanielPhilips, and the Brahms StringSextet No. 2 with Shmuel Ashkenasi,Nobuko Imai, Amit Peled andcolleagues of the Heifetz Institute.In November, Andrew returned toBarge Music in NYC to perform MozartG minor Piano quartet and BeethovenG major string trio with MarkPeskanov, Edward Arron and MichaelKimmelman. Andrew recently joinedItzhak Perlman and alumni of the

Perlman Music Program in chamberconcert at the Van Wezel PerformingArts Center in Sarasota, and held arecital at the University ofScranton in November 2013.

Marcel Krasner, cellist, and founder ofthe Velveteen Quartet, has beenstudying cello since the age of 7.He has played with orchestrasincluding the InterSchoolOrchestras of New York, the New YorkYouthSymphony, the Juilliard Pre-CollegeSymphony Orchestra, and theJuilliard Pre-College Orchestra.Marcel was accepted to thePreCollege Division of The JuilliardSchool in 2004, where he studiedwith Jerome Carrington for 3 years,and then later with Andre Emelianof.He has participated inmusic festivals including theBulgarian Music Festival in Plovdiv,Bulgaria in 2004, the Maine ChamberMusic Festival in 2006, the RondoMusic Festival in Bennington,Vermont in 2003 and 2006, and theFestival Val Morel Savoie in Francefrom 2009 through 2013. Marcel isalso a prominent cellist andactivist with the nonprofit “Tunesfor Tots and Teens,” in whichvolunteer musicians play concertsfor disadvantagedchildren. Recently, he won theBrooklyn Conservatory of Music'sConcerto Competition, where heperformed the Dvorak cello concertoin b minor with orchestra.  Marcel’sgoal for his future is to openpeople’s eyes about the wonder thatis classical music.

10

A pprobations

We extend special thanks to Tess Crowther, a cello student atThe University of Toronto, for locating and providing us witha copy of the only known score of Alexander Dreyschock'sstring quartet in the Western Hemisphere. There is no knownrecord of any performance of this piece in the twentieth ortwenty-first centuries, and we are proud to be re-premieringthis wonderful work.

11

We’d also like to publicly credit The Krasner family, David Teitelbaum, Emily Wong, Gregory Houston, among other,s for their generous support.

Photo credits: photos of Dreyschock and Škrouphttp://www.rektoris.wz.cz/neptalim.html; photo of Smetanahttp://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/86551271/Bedich%2BSmetana.png

Smetana’s program notes culled from: “Sidelights on a Century of Music” byGervase Hughes, 1970

12