In the Labyrinth Ensemble Works by Beethoven, Shostakovich, Carter, and Francesconi
Paul Gr iff iths
Introducing Daedalus The many inventions of the legendary artificer Daedalus included not only the Cretan labyrinth but also the way to get out of it: Ariadne’s thread. This concert offers us something of a labyrinth —works from three centuries, played out of chronological order— together with a thread, in the sound of the flute. Before that instrument enters, however, we have a little labyrinth of strings set in play by Dmitri Shostakovich in his Two Pieces for String Octet Op. 11 of 1924–5. The first of these two movements, which together play for about ten minutes, came about in December 1924, when the composer had recently started work on his First Symphony. He also began a fugue for the same small group of strings, having in mind a suite. A scherzo followed in July 1925, right after the symphony was finished, and thereupon the composer decided to stay just with the two movements he had completed. What he thereby produced was something of a before-and-after diptych. The Prelude, an adagio in D minor, begins with gestures of power and collapse, giving way to a quick dance. Features from the opening part steal back, including the final touch of melody in a haze of triplet oscillations. This is a striking piece, leaving aside
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