Iosif Andriasov String Quartet, Op. 1
Arts & Entertainment → Books & Music
- Author Marta Andriasova
- Published November 2, 2015
- Word count 698
Iosif Andriasov composed his String Quartet for Two Violins, Viola, and Cello, Opus 1, in 1954, when he was 21 years old. The String Quartet is dedicated to Nelli Andriasova (Andriassian), the composer’s sister.
It was first performed by the students of the Music College at the Malyi Concert Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Moscow, USSR, in 1954. The sincere, lively, joyous, effervescent music of the String Quartet stirred such stormy applause by enthusiastic listeners that, according to witnesses, the balcony floor of the concert hall shook, and the personnel on duty ran from downstairs to the hall to see what was going on there.
The String Quartet of Mr. Andriasov was recorded and broadcast abroad by the Soviet Radio Station. It attracted attention toward the young promising gifted composer. Mr. Andriasov’s music was always warmly welcomed. The listeners admired it for its artistic temperament, emotional warmth, exuberant energy, expressive thematism, connection with folklore, clear-cut construction, and colorful harmonic language.
The American premiere of the String Quartet took place with Victor Romasevich (Lubotsky), Leonid Fleishaker - violins; Anatole Wieck (Wic) - viola, and Roger Lowe - cello, in July of 1979 (two months after Iosif Andriasov came to the United States), at a charitable concert in a Manhattan jail in New York, NY. The prisoners, guards, and other personnel were fascinated by Mr. Andriasov’s music, and gave the String Quartet a heartfelt reception.
The String Quartet is a "youthful" composition. Its "hero" is a young man who enters the world full of hopes. The music radiates with energy and happiness. There are pages of the dreamy, inspired lyricism, displaying the romantic nature of the composer; episodes with tragic notes, expressing deep compassion for people, revealing the altruistic essence of the composer’s personality, and genre scenes, based on folk dances.
I. Andriasov follows the traditions of Armenian folk and classical music (Soghomon "Gevorki" Soghomonyan (also known as Komitas Vardapet), Aram Khachaturian) as well as traditions of the Western-European and Russian classical composers, first of all, Ludwig van Beethoven, Nikolai RimskyKorsakov, Alexander Borodin (traditions of "Russian Orientalism") and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The String Quartet is filled with melodic intonations and rhythms from Armenian (Trans-Caucasian) folk songs and dances.
The connection with folk traditions is displayed through modal diversity (particularly, in the modes that include the interval of the augmented second); in ornamentation; in irregular rhythms; in the drones, and in a re-creation of the timbres of the Armenian folk instruments. An exquisite treatment of folk material connects Iosif Andriasov with S. Soghomonyan. The expressive, sharp harmonic language and adherence to the plagal function relates him to P. I. Tchaikovsky (in particular, P. I. Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony). The clear-cut structure of the String Quartet demonstrates how Iosif Andriasov mastered the traditions of the Viennese classics. Also, I hear a bit of jazz music in his use of harmonies. But, the individual voice of Iosif Andriasov is revealed through a peculiar fusion of tenderness and courageousness, - his distinctive feature; in his heartfelt compassion for people and simultaneously in an objective view of a situation from the outside; in his seriousness - and yet an irrepressible happiness, and in his vigorous temperament.
The String Quartet is in three movements.
In his String Quartet, Iosif Andriasov employs a principle of "reminiscence" to unite the cycle’s movements. It is known that the Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary music has rich traditions in this regard. Alexander Mikhailov, the Soviet musicologist, considers the Fifth Symphony by L. v. Beethoven the first example of reminiscence. There are other works that deal with this substantial principle: Symphonies by Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, Jean Sibelius, Alexander Glazunov; the Piano Quartet by Sergei Taneev, "Serenade for Strings" by P. I. Tchaikovsky, "Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste" by Bela Bartok, Symphony in C by Igor Stravinsky, some compositions by Nikolai Myaskovsky, Sergei Prokofiev, A. Khachaturian, and many others.
The String Quartet of Iosif Andriasov is marked by an exquisite treatment of folk material, a deep understanding of string instruments (I. Andriasov was a violinist), melodic richness, expressive harmonies, a well-balanced form with equilibrium of meditative and dancing episodes, and clear and transparent texture.
Duration: approximately 15 minutes
3 YouTube Recordings
Marta Andriasova (Marina Kudryashova) is an author, musicologist (member of the American Musicological Society), teacher, music producer, founder and owner of IMMA Publishing Co.
www.andriasovstore.com
Article source: https://articlebiz.comRate article
Article comments
There are no posted comments.
Related articles
- Emotional Resonance: How Music Evokes Feelings And Memories
- Bangla Song Lyrics: A Deep Dive into the Soul of Bengali Music
- Semih Alar: The Sonic Architect's Creative Universe
- An Exclusive Interview with Semih Alar: Delving into the Musical Universe of Diaspora
- The Silent Symphony of Diaspora: Semih Alar’s Journey Through Silence and Music
- Ralph Macchio: Actor or Guitarist? Discover the Truth!
- Key Differences Between 6 String And 12 String Guitars
- Choosing Your First Bass Guitar: Why a Squier Precision Bass is a Solid Choice
- A Step-by-Step Guide: How to Start and Launch a Band
- From Zero to Hero - Learn Guitar Solos Quickly & Easily
- A Comprehensive Guide to the Best Online Guitar Lessons
- 4 Best Tips on How to Pack and Ship a Guitar
- Top 10 Best Selling Guitars of Recent Era
- How much does an electric guitar cost?
- Become a Blues Maestro: 26 Blues Guitar Songs for Beginners
- A Step-by-Step Guide: How to Start and Launch a Band
- Rock Legends: The Top 10 Classic Rock Guitarists
- Top 5 Most Difficult Guitar Riffs in Metal Every Guitarist Should Learn
- Top 21 Easy Capo Songs to Learn and Play on Guitar (2024)
- Guitar Maintenance: How to Fix a Bowed Guitar Neck
- 19 Best Guitar Effect Pedals That Shaped Music History
- Best Guitar lesson online: Guitartricks
- Mastering Guitar Notes for Beginners
- Unleash Guitar Mastery: Secrets from the Practice Routines of 6 Legendary Guitarists
- Bows Meet Strings: 7 Types of Stringed Instruments, Players and more
- Ranked: The 10 Most Influential Greatest Metal Guitarists (2024)
- An Introduction to 7 Guitar Virtuosos Across the Globe (2024)
- 25 Best Guitar solos of all time (2024)
- Top 15 Best Guitars for Beginners in 2024
- Top 12 Best Acoustic Guitar Songs That Will Blow Your Mind (2024)