New York’s Finest

april 14, 2025, 7:30 pm

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC STRING QUARTET

Frank Huang, violin

Qianqian Li, violin

Cynthia Phelps, viola

Carter Brey, cello

This program features New York’s finest string principals. Experience the charm and spirit of Haydn and discover Florence Price’s romantic sensibility balanced with elements of spirituals, blues, and folk music. Dvořák’s own folk influences shine through in a work that also displays his talents that rival the rhythmic energy and graceful lyricism of the great Viennese masters.

The length of this concert is approximately 1.75 hours, including intermission.

Program Notes

Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809)
String Quartet No. 1 in G Major, Op. 77

By the time Joseph Haydn composed his Op. 77 Quartets in 1799, he was the most revered composer in Europe. In addition to his other compositions, Haydn pioneered the development of the string quartet as a genre. It is historically fitting that this pair of quartets, Haydn’s last foray into the genre, were part of a simultaneous commission by Prince Lobkowitz who also sought a set of quartets from the young Beethoven, the composer who would expand upon Haydn’s model to redefine the genre in his own right. Though originally intended as part of a set of six quartets, Haydn completed only two before shifting his focus toward large-scale choral works. These final quartets, published in 1802, represent the culmination of Haydn’s mastery, showcasing his continued innovation, demonstrating a remarkable blend of formal sophistication, expressive depth, and the playful wit that had defined his style for decades.

The opening movement exemplifies Haydn’s mature sonata form writing, characterized by a martial rhythmic drive and intricate interplay among the instruments. The first theme, derived from a Hungarian recruiting song, exudes a bold, march-like character, while the second violin introduces a more lyrical secondary idea. Haydn weaves these elements seamlessly throughout the movement, employing elaborate counterpoint, canonic exchanges, and moments of surprise such as a false recapitulation. The slow movement, by contrast, shifts to E-flat major and adopts a deeply expressive, almost rhapsodic character. Structured as a free-form sonata, its introspective opening motif evolves through rich harmonizations and a violin-cello duet of operatic intensity, evoking a sense of noble melancholy tinged with moments of Sturm und Drang.

The scherzo, labeled a minuet but infused with energy, propels forward with syncopated accents and leaping violin lines, before culminating in a rustic trio. The finale, a whirlwind of perpetual motion, returns to the folk-inspired vigor of the first movement. Crafting an exhilarating display of motivic transformation and contrapuntal brilliance with its infectious rhythmic vitality and seamless integration of folk elements into an artful sonata form. This final movement exemplifies Haydn’s ability to balance structural rigor with spirited inventiveness. In his final quartet Haydn did not merely reaffirm his dominance—he set the stage for the next generation of composers, including Beethoven, to expand upon his legacy.

Florence Price (1887–1953)   
String Quartet No. 1 in G Major

Florence Price was a trailblazing American composer whose work is only now beginning to receive the widespread recognition it deserves. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, she demonstrated prodigious musical talent from an early age and went on to study at the New England Conservatory, where she majored in organ and music education. Facing the pervasive racial discrimination of her time, she moved to Chicago in 1927, where she became a significant figure in the city’s Black cultural renaissance. Price made history in 1933 when the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed her Symphony in E minor, making her the first Black woman to have a composition played by a major American orchestra. Her String Quartet No. 1 in G Major, composed in 1929, reflects her ability to synthesize European classical traditions with African American musical idioms, a hallmark of her distinctive voice.

The first movement, Allegro, showcases Price’s mastery of harmonic fluidity and thematic transformation. It unfolds with a sweeping, lyrical theme reminiscent of late-Romantic composers such as César Franck and Edvard Grieg. Rapid key changes propel the music forward, sometimes shifting within a single phrase, creating an ever-evolving landscape of sound. Counterpoint plays a significant role, lending the movement an intricate, organic texture. Throughout, the music exudes warmth and vitality, with a harmonic palette that alternates between lush Romanticism and folk-inflected harmonies. Despite its complexity, the movement remains buoyant, reflecting Price’s ability to balance technical sophistication with an immediate emotional appeal.

The second movement follows an Andante moderato introduction leading into an Allegretto finale, structured as a theme and variations. The primary theme draws inspiration from American folk song traditions, imbued with the melodic warmth and expressive directness characteristic of Price’s writing. The variations explore different textures and moods, including a delicate pizzicato section and a lively dance-like episode. A particularly striking moment comes when the theme is transformed into a waltz, shifting to a minor key before reaching a luminous conclusion. This interplay between lyricism and rhythmic vitality underscores Price’s deep engagement with both European and African American musical traditions, making this quartet a testament to her remarkable synthesis of styles and her enduring legacy as a composer.

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904)   
String Quartet No. 11 in C Major, Op. 61

Antonín Dvořák was not only a prolific composer but also an accomplished violist, deeply immersed in the world of chamber music. By the early 1880s, he had gained significant international recognition, aided by the support of Johannes Brahms and influential critics like Eduard Hanslick. His works were being performed across Europe and beyond, but this success came with pressure to adapt his style to appeal to a broader audience. Commissioned by the Viennese violinist and conductor Josef Hellmesberger in 1881, Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 11 in C Major, Op. 61, reflects this tension. Unlike his previous quartets, which were steeped in Czech folk idioms, this work adopts a more cosmopolitan, Viennese approach, likely to satisfy both artistic and professional considerations. Ironically, despite its intended premiere in Vienna, the performance was delayed due to the Vienna Ringtheater fire, and the work was first documented in Berlin nearly a year later.

The first movement opens with a driving rhythmic motif that immediately establishes an energetic and assertive character. This propulsive energy is balanced by lyrical passages that recall Schubert’s melodic grace, and throughout the movement, Dvořák demonstrates a masterful interplay of textures and harmonic shifts. The slow movement provides a striking contrast, unfolding as a dreamlike Adagio, where delicate melodic fragments are passed between instruments, creating a rich and intimate dialogue. In the Scherzo, the music takes on a lively, dance-like quality, subtly reintroducing elements of Czech folk rhythms despite the work’s otherwise Viennese character. Here, Dvořák cleverly references a theme from his earlier Polonaise for cello and piano, lending the movement a sense of cohesion within his broader oeuvre.

The finale bursts forth with exuberance, transforming motifs from earlier movements into a bright, folk-inflected theme that recalls the spirited character of his Slavonic Dances. The movement alternates between light, playful textures and more robust, legato passages, showcasing Dvořák’s skill in blending different musical moods seamlessly. Just before the jubilant conclusion, a reflective violin cadenza briefly interrupts the celebratory momentum, offering a moment of introspection before the quartet rushes to a triumphant close. With its combination of structural ingenuity, expressive depth, and sheer vitality, String Quartet No. 11 stands as a testament to Dvořák’s ability to bridge national identity with broader European traditions while maintaining his unmistakable voice.