Debussy String Quartet

Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast

Joshua Weilerstein

Clarinet, Timpani, Performing, Trombone, Cello, Trumpet, Bassoon, Classicalmusic, Performing Arts, Arts, Violin, Flute, Piano, Conductor, Music, Weilerstein

4.9 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 23 February 2023

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Just one year before Debussy wrote his legendary Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, he completed another groundbreaking work. It was a string quartet, which he expected to be the first of many. But in the end, it would be the only one he would ever write. If you aren’t familiar with Debussy’s music, this quartet might be the perfect place to start. In the string quartet, Debussy mastered for the first time many of the things that would mark his later orchestral masterpieces, like La Mer, Images, and of course the Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. It is full of the virtuosity and brilliance of a young composer, the experimentation of one of the true radicals of his time, and the sensual beauty from a composer who said that music should exist above all to give pleasure to the listener. Today I’ll take you through the piece, discussing Debussy’s Symbolist, NOT impressionist influences, his Brahmsian simultaneous embrace and destruction of musical form, and the vitality that carries you straight through one of the great string quartets of all time. Join us!

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to Sticky Notes, the Classical Music Podcast.
0:10.7	My name is Joshua Weilerstein, I'm a conductor, and I'm the music director of the Phoenix
0:14.2	Orchestra of Boston, and the chief conductor designate of the Alborg Symphony.
0:18.8	This podcast is for anyone who loves classical music, works in the field, or is just getting
0:22.8	ready to dive in to this amazing world of incredible music.
0:26.6	Before we get started, I want to thank my new Patreon sponsors, Nancy, Steven, Ben,
0:31.2	Martin, and all of my other Patreon sponsors for making season 9 possible.
0:36.2	If you'd like to support the show, please head over to patreon.com slash Sticky Notes
0:40.0	Podcast.
0:41.4	And if you are a fan of the show, please just take a moment to give us a rating or review
0:44.6	on Apple Podcasts.
0:46.2	It is greatly appreciated.
0:49.2	I'm recording this a bit early before I head to Indianapolis.
0:52.3	When you listen to this, I will be in the midst of a concert that I've been looking forward
0:56.1	to for about two years with Mahler's first symphony and Pobble Hoss's unfinished symphony
1:02.8	with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
1:05.3	As many of you know, I've been become pretty obsessed with Pobble Hoss.
1:09.2	I've listened now to literally every single thing he ever wrote.
1:12.9	It's not very much, unfortunately.
1:14.8	But I just can't wait to be working with this orchestra on this remarkable piece and bringing
1:19.2	it to the North American audience for the very first time.
1:22.8	In the meantime, I'm really happy to share with you a new chamber music-focused episode
	...

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