Review of Haydn's String Quartet Op.33 Mvt Iv

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MU104 Music History I: 18th and 19th Centuries: Assignment 1 Review of a Recording of Haydn’s String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 33 No. 2, Mvt IV ‘The Joke’ Franz Joseph Haydn was a hugely prolific 18th Century composer, whose original and innovative style was to render him one of the most important figures of the Classical Era. Haydn became a great influence on future composers and to this day he remains a significant and appreciated individual. Haydn produced a huge musical output and he played a vital role in establishing and developing many of the main classical forms, such as The Symphony, the String Quartet, The Concerto and The Sonata. Haydn had a great sense of humour and was partial to including an element of fun and surprise into his compositions. This can be seen in particular in the finale of his String Quartet Op. 33 No. 2, which is wittily nicknamed ‘The Joke’. By reviewing a performance of this movement, we can clearly see Haydn’s intentions, as well as his fascinating compositional style. A performance of this piece that I particularly enjoyed was Ariel Quartet’s recital at the Vermont Summer Music Festival in July 2012. Ariel Quartet was formed in Israel and consists of the members Gershon Gerchikov and Alexandra Kazovsky on violin, Jan Grüning on viola and Amit Even-Tov on cello. They are a greatly successful quartet that have toured extensively worldwide and gained a popular international reputation. Before reviewing a performance it is important to consider several points on what makes a good performance. It is essential to interest your audience and to hold their attention. This can be achieved through interaction and also by adding something unexpected to the performance. Technical accuracy is of course crucial to a successful performance, but it is also important to have a certain confidence and virtuosic flair to convey personality
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