Ravinia 2024 Issue 2

“We flow through life. Conversely, the flow of existence is temporarily housed in us each gen- eration. Everything in nature flows and develops through time. Flow can be expressed mathemat- ically, psychologically, physically, visually, and, now, via string quartet. “ ‘Prana’ in Sanskrit fits this concept. ‘Pra’ means ‘first’ and ‘na’ means ‘energy.’ It is infinite and all-pervasive through animate and inanimate realms. The quartet is asked to connect through ‘Pranayama,’ where ‘ayama’ is the expansion of ‘Prana’ and practiced through breath control. The quartet also connects with initial energy through the concept of Om ॐ , which is synon- ymous with ‘Pranava’ meaning ‘foresound’ and ‘Onkara,’ meaning ‘Om maker’: the first source of sound and act of creation. ॐ in the string quartet mostly appears on an upbeat as a widely vibrated pizzicato glissando in the cello, imitat- ing rhythmic placement of the gong in Balinese gamelan. That, in turn, imitates the vibrational birthing energy of our universe. “Energy spreads as our universe expands. As intensity diffuses its ‘pitch’ lowers on physicist John G. Cramer’s audio representation of the Big Bang based on the European Space Agen- cy (ESA) Planck Mission’s analysis of cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation from April 14, 2013. Those 100 seconds are the general overarching frame to the quartet Flow . Cramer’s audio file is based on temperature fluctuations and scaled upward by ~1026 to match the re- sponse of the human ear. It begins with a quiet glissando from a high pitch, spikes into a rau- cous outburst, then ripples and tails into an ev- er-lowering dissipating bass decrescendo. “ Flow starts like gas seeping from an infinitely full balloon about to pop. Then, as matter in- flates space, climactic material is presented al- most immediately before abruptly burning out for the universal dark ages. Cooling during the epoch of reionization allow H (Hydrogen—rep- resented by the note B) and He (Helium—rep- resented by notes BE) to stabilize. There is light, then stars and galaxies form. We, at 62% hydro- gen (10% of our mass), are ancient dust from our universe’s creation 13.7 billion years ago. Our atomic selves can be traced to this epoch of reionization 400 million through a little over one billion years after the Big Bang. “The Prelude examines ‘B’ing/‘BE’ing melodical- ly and harmonically through moments of pran- ayama. It ends with a trailing ॐ . “The Lento brings further cooling and space in chorale around an octave B-centric pedal. Pre- lude motifs are given room to develop. The bass line further descends and expands. Microtone slow glissandi hold the group together. “ Quark Scherzo explores our fundamentally playful selves vibrating here, there—and where? Our quarks giddily waltz up (u) and down (d) in hadron packets of three, while we embrace ideas of solidity and ego. The opening cello mimics quark motion for 2 H = 2 protons + 1 neutron = uud uud ddu = ddu uud uud. Later, it’s He-4 = 2 protons + 2 neutrons = uud uud uud uud + ddu ddu = uud uud ddu ddu udu duu. The trio, whose only claim to three are triplets in the cel- lo line, provides no break and instead intones a ballade. The movement ends in virtuosic flurry. “The Finale settles into a stylized recitative. Three lower strings solo before coming together to feature a soaring treble voice. Flowing trip- lets turn into a Classical Indian Dadra Tal (even six beat) rhythm in the bass line while upper strings bow their bouts simulating Cosmic Mi- crowave Background (CMB) radiation. Upper strings join in ॐ via pizzicati glissandi. There is a return to the Prelude opening, then a slingshot into the awe-inspiring starling murmurations photographed and reported by Søren Solkær in the New York Times Travel column ‘The World Through a Lens’ from April 4, 2022. “Lower strings drive unrelentingly while vio- lin lines chase the other as one mind, instan- taneously turning, merging, and transforming beyond individuality. The sky eventually calms as they land over a long D overtone series. A re- treating tremolo reveals: Enjoy and go with the flow, we only know what we know.” MAURICE RAVEL (1875–1937) String Quartet in F major The first few years of the 20th century were crit- ical to Ravel’s development as a composer. In 1900, he was forced to withdraw from the Par- is Conservatory due to his inadequate grasp of counterpoint and conflicts with the conserva- tory directors over aesthetic issues. Ravel’s in- terests in Russian music, the works of Richard Wagner, and contemporary French literature coalesced in a compositional style that outraged the more academically minded faculty. He en- tered the Prix de Rome competition—whose judges included Ravel’s opponents at the con- servatory—but failed to qualify for the finals. Subsequent applications also met with failure. Ravel continued to attend Gabriel Fauré’s com- position classes as an auditor, a privilege that was suspended in 1903. Despite lack of success at the conservatory, Ravel established an inter- national reputation through such works as Jeu d’eau (1901) and Shéhérazade (1903). Ravel created the String Quartet in F major—his only work for that instrumental combination— during this crucial period of increasing inde- pendence as a composer. The score was begun in 1902, completed in 1903, and dedicated to Fauré. Ravel believed this work signaled a new mastery of formal procedure: “My string quartet in F re- flects a definite preoccupation with musical structure, imperfectly realized, no doubt, but much more apparent than in my previous compositions.” G. Astruc first published the score in 1904; Durand issued a revised version in 1910. The Heymann Quartet gave the premiere on March 5, 1904, at the Société Nationale in Paris. The Allegro moderato is a sonata form present- ing a somewhat loose progression of musical ideas. Its opening theme offers an animated rising phrase, whose tension a gentle descent immediately releases. An expressive contrasting idea, played by first violin and viola, rises above tremolos in the second violin and pizzicatos in the cello. The development traverses numerous tonal centers. A crescendo from piano to fortis- sissimo leads to the restatement of the opening melody, and the second theme returns with a new harmonization. The music slows and fades away at the end. The second movement opens with a refreshing scherzo-like pizzicato section (contrasting du- ple and triple groupings of beats) that evokes the sounds of Spanish music. Action slows for a more introspective, contrapuntal trio. Then, the pizzicato music returns for a vivacious con- clusion. The third movement follows no typi- cal form. Rather, a common lyrical expression unifies its numerous melodic ideas. One occa- sionally detects motives from the previous two movements. Ravel’s finale is a lively and agitated movement in 5/8 time, a metrical asymmetry reminiscent of Russian music. Its unusual flavor prompted criticism frommany French contemporaries, in- cluding the work’s dedicatee. This rhythmically irregular music provides a refrain between con- trasting sections. One final statement propels the music to a dynamic conclusion. –Program notes © 2024 Todd E. Sullivan Maurice Ravel RAVINIA.ORG  • RAVINIAMAGAZINE 83