Christopher resumes his duties as Gresham Professor of Music with the
start of a new series of lectures entitled 'The Making of a
Masterpiece', in which he examines a number of acknowledged
masterpieces, but each from a select angle only - their scoring,
compactness, virtuosity, accessibility, memorability or other flavour.
After each lecture, Gresham College is making available videos and
podcasts of its Professors' offerings. Click on the links below to be
taken to Gresham College's media downloads for each lecture.
1) Keep it short
The art of being succinct is not one always associated with the works of
Bach; in his compact setting of the Magnificat he employs economy and
symbolism to illuminate each verse in a few minutes of music which
challenges the listener to “de-code” the full message.
2) The Joy of Six
The choice of instrumental grouping can make or break a composition; the
string sextet, a notoriously difficult combination, takes on a
forward-looking guise with Strauss in probably the most exquisite of all
music designed to be played off-stage, while Brahms looks back to the
baroque with his solutions: sonority is the key.
3) Remember Me
Memorability is sometimes achieved by the simple technique of
repetition, in addition to more high-flown inspiration. Some of the
simplest sustaining devices of great music are ground bass, ostinato or
chaconne; this lecture shows that a canon can be more than simply "Three
Blind Mice".
4) Is it possible?
Mozart's Oboe Quartet in F major K.370
With Mea Wade and players from the Royal Academy of Music
Harnessing virtuosity to good taste and fireworks to fine craftsmanship
is a permanent challenge for the composer. Purely technical show will
have little lasting effect, and Mozart was especially scrupulous at
linking what sounded effective with what was musically needed. We
examine with Mea Wade the requirements of good oboe playing and some of
that instrument's special qualities, and hear a performance of the
quartet with players from the Royal Academy of Music. The quartet
comprises Eleanor Corr (violin), Richard Waters (viola) and Antonio
Novais (cello).
5) The Opening Salvo
Beethoven's String Quartet in F major Op.18 No.1
With the Wilhelm Quartet
How to be revolutionary without scaring away your public? How to
announce yourself as a new broom without alienating the more stalwart
connoisseurs? Beethoven faced these problems when presenting his first
six string quartets for publication as opus 18; did he win his public
and allay their fears with his choice of opening? The Wilhelm Quartet
comprises Marciana Buta (violin), Charlotte Skinner (violin), Daisy
Spiers (viola) and Hetty Snell (cello).
5) The Challenge of the Solo
Pavlo Beznosiuk, one of the world's leading baroque violinists, explains
and demonstrates the challenge of music for solo violin; works by
Nicola Matteis and Heinrich Biber lead to a discussion and performance
of the famous Chaconne from Bach's Solo Partita in D minor. Can such a
work be satisfactorily analysed or does "music begin where words leave
off"?