Jesper Koch: String Quartet No. 3 (2017–18, rev. 19)

Jesper Koch String Quartet No. 3

(2017–18, rev. 19)

Quartetto Breve Dur. 15′

Dedicated to the Henschel Quartet

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Jesper Koch String Quartet No. 3

(2017–18, rev. 19)

Quartetto Breve Dur. 15′

PROGRAMME NOTE Schöne Welt, wo bist du?

The nostalgic longing for the past(or a past) is primarily a romantic obsession. Although getting old(er) is perhaps a more universal way of looking at the past with the benefit of experience. My 3rd String quartet is about coming to terms with these emotions on a personal level, being fully aware that returning to a world of long ago is quite impossible. Only in the realm of the arts can this sort of ‘time travel’ make poetic sense. To go back and take another look at what seems to be lost or missed in today’s musical reality is what my 3rd string quartet is all about!

“Fair world, where are you? Return again....”

The quote is taken from Schiller’s poem The Gods of Greece, set to music by Schubert (D 677). The nostalgic mood of Schubert’s lied constantly changing between major and minor sets the tone of longing for ‘Arcadia Lost’ being fully aware of the futile nature of this illusion.

(I have not quoted Schubert’s music in my quartet but noticed that he quotes this song in his own Rosamunde quartet!)

All three movements have borrowed their titles from some of my favourite Schubert songs: 1. Herbst (D 945) starts with a melancholic (minor) intro accelerating into a faster and more airy kind of music (major). These moods alternate until the quicker pace dominates. A return to the beginning, seen (heard) from a different perspective, rounds off the movement. Like lost landscapes,real or imagined, passing by.

2. Nacht und Träume (D827) is a proper scherzo(ABA), a shadowy fast music with almost diabolic fiddling, like half remembered folk music. The B section is more passionate and lyrical.

3. Schöne Welt, wo bist du? (D 677) (Adagio,ABA) is the heart of this quartet. Very romantic/nostalgic and intensely lyrical with melodies constantly shifting from one instrument to another. The B-section is a bit faster (Allegretto) starting innocently and pastoral in mood.

However, this mood cannot be maintained for very long, despite a soaring climax, and like a mirage it dissolves itself leading slowly back to a ‘repeat’ of the Adagio seen in a much darker light.

3. String Quartet-Quartetto breve I-Herbst Dedicated to the Henschel Quartet

Jesper Koch 2017-18 (revised 2019)

Mesto accel. poco a poco

= 40 espress.

Vln I

espress.

Vln II

espress.

Vla

espress.

Vlc

( = 100)

5

(2+3)

= 110

Vln I

Vln II sub.

Vla

Vlc sub.

9

A

Allegro leggiero Sul G

Vln I

Vln II s z

Vla

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 1

( )

12 Vln I cresc.

Vln II cresc.

Vla

Vlc cresc.

15 Vln I

Vln II

III

Vla s z II

Vlc cresc.

B (senza rit.)

18

lunga

(Tempo I) = 50

espress.

Vln I

espress.

Vln II

Vla espress.

III

II

IV sempre

Vlc espress.

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 2

accel. poco a poco 22

( = 80)

( = 100)

IV sempre

Vln I cresc.

Vln II

Vla

Vlc

(Tempo II)

C

= 110

26 Vln I

IV

Vln II

Vla

Vlc sub.

29

III

Vln I sub.

III

Vln II sub.

Vla

IV

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 3

II

accel.

32 Vln I cresc.

Vln II cresc.

Vla cresc.

Vlc cresc. = 120 III

35

III

IV

IV

II (nat. harm)

III

(2+3)

Vln I dim. (flautando)

(ord.)

Vln II dim.

Vla dim.

Vlc dim.

38

(2+3)

(2+3)

Vln I

Vln II

Vla

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 4

(3+2)

(2+3) 42 Vln I

Vln II

Vla

Vlc

45

D

Vln I legg.

Vln II legg.

Vla pizz.

legg. arco

Vlc legg.

(2+3)

(2+3)

49 Vln I

Vln II

Vla ( )

Vlc ( )

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 5

E 3

53

3

3

Vln I 3

3 3

3

3

3

Vln II 3 3

3

3

3

3

3

Vla s z

s z

s z

s z

s z

s z

Vlc

F

allarg.

56 Vln I

Vln II

arco Vla pizz. arco Vlc

= 110

(3+2)

allarg.

59 Vln I

Vln II

Vla

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 6

accel.

(2+3)

= 100 62

= 110

Vln I s z

cresc.

s z

Vln II s z

Vla s z

s z

Vlc sub. s z

65

G

s z

Sul G

Vln I

Vln II s z

Vla

Vlc

68 Vln I cresc.

Vln II cresc.

Vla

Vlc cresc.

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 7

71 Vln I

Vln II

Vla appassionato

Vlc appassionato

74 Vln I appassionato

Vln II appassionato

Vla

Vlc

rall. sempre (4+3)

78 Vln I dim.

Vln II dim.

Vla dim.

Vlc dim.

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 8

( = 80)

lunga

H 82

Adagio ( = 60)

III

II

IV

Vln I espress.

IV

Vln II espress.

IV

Vla espress.

IV

III III

II

II

I

II

Vlc

morendo 86 Vln I

Vln II

Vla

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 9

I

II

III

II

III

II-Nacht und TraĂźme Presto, capriccioso (

1

= 86)

rit. molto

Vln I espress.

n.v.

Vln II espress.

n.v. pizz.

arco Vla espress.

Vlc espress.

A tempo

5

I

I etc.

Vln I rustico pizz.

III

IV

I

II

I

Vln II (

)

Vla

Vlc cresc.

8 Vln I cresc.

s z II

III

Vln II s z pizz.

Vla

pizz.

Vlc marc.

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 10

marc.

11 Vln I

pizz, ord.

arco

I

II

Vln II

I

Vla

Vlc

14 Vln I cresc.

Vln II

arco Vla

Vlc

A 17 Vln I

arco, sul pont. pizz.

Vln II

pizz.

Vla

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 11

sul pont.

20 Vln I

Vln II

Vla

Vlc

p. a p.............................................ord.

23 Vln I

cresc.

cresc.

p. a p.............................................ord.

Vln II cresc. arco Vla

Vlc

n.v.

26

accel.

Vln I s z n.v.

Vln II s z n.v.

Vla s z arco

n.v.

Vlc s z

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 12

.=

30

B

Appassionato e poco rubato ( = 90)

Vln I espress.

Vln II espress.

Vla espress.

Vlc cresc. espress. n.v.

= .

34 Vln I cresc. n.v.

Vln II cresc. n.v.

Vla cresc. n.v.

Vlc cresc.

C

(Presto) arco

38 Vln I s z

s z

s z

espress.

sub.

espress.

sub.

espress.

sub.

espress.

sub.

Vln II cresc.

Vla

Vlc sub.

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 13

allargando

42

n.v.

( .= )

D

A tempo ( = 90) espress.

Vln I cresc.

s z n.v.

espress.

Vln II cresc.

s z n.v.

espress.

Vla s z n.v.

IV

cresc. espress.

Vlc cresc.

s z

( = .)

46

(Presto) n.v.

( .= )

Vln I

n.v.

Vln II

Vla

n.v.

Vlc

49

espress.

( = ) = 110

accel.

Vln I

espress.

Vln II

Vla

espress.

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 14

allarg. sempre

( = 100)

( = 90)

53 Vln I

Vln II

Vla

Vlc

57

( = .)

rall.

n.v.

III

Vln I espress. n.v.

Vln II

n.v.

espress.

Vla espress.

II gl i s s.

n.v.

Vlc espress.

61 Vln I

Vln II

Vla

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 15

E

(Presto) (

= 86)

64 Vln I

I

pizz. II Vln II

Vla

II

Vlc

67 Vln I

arco Vln II

Vla

pizz.

Vlc cresc.

4

pizz.

70 Vln I

s z

cresc. arco

pizz. II

4

pizz.

Vln II s z 4

pizz.

Vla cresc.

s z 4

pizz.

arco Vlc

s z

cresc.

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 16

F 4

4

74

4

4

4

lunga

4

4

4

4

Vln I marcato

cresc.

4

4

4

4

Vln II marcato 4

cresc.

4

4

4

4

4

Vla cresc.

marcato 4

4

4

4

Vlc marcato

79

cresc.

A tempo (Presto)

. = 60 arco

pizz.

rit. molto lunga

4

arco

Vln I s z arco pizz.

lunga 4

arco

Vln II s z arco

4

pizz.

lunga

4

arco

Vla s z arco pizz.

lunga arco

4

Vlc s z

84

G

A tempo (Presto)

Vln I

Vln II

sub. pizz.

Vla

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 17

4

(non rit,) salt.

87 Vln I

pizz.

Vln II

Vla

arco

pizz.

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 18

III-Schรถne Welt, wo bist du?

Adagio, poco rubato ( = 40) II

con sord.

1

IV

Vln I espress. espress.

arco n.v.

con sord.

II

III

III

Vln II sempre n.v.

espress.

con sord. arco III Vla

espress.

con sord.

II sempre

II

Vlc

II sempre

5 Vln I sempre II sempre

Vln II

III

Vla

I

Vlc

( = .)

rit.

9

A

Allegretto pastorale ( . = 46)

Vln I

n.v.

III

Vln II espress.

II

n.v.

Vla espress. n.v.

pizz(vibr)

Vlc espress.

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 19

(IV)

13 Vln I

Vln II III

I II

Vla

arco Vlc quieto

III

16

II

I II

IV sempre

Vln I

Vln II

Vla

pizz.

arco

Vlc

(IV)

19 Vln I

cresc.

Vln II cresc.

Vla cresc.

Vlc cresc.

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 20

allarg.

A tempo

22 Vln I II

Vln II

(II)

III IV

Vla

Vlc

poco rit.

25 Vln I

Vln II

Vla

Vlc espress.

28

A tempo II

Vln I

Vln II

Vla

II

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 21

rit.

31

( .=

)

B

Tempo I ( = 40)

Vln I

IV sempre

Vln II

IV sempre

IV sempre

Vla

pizz.

arco

III sempre

Vlc

34

II

poco rit.

A tempo

III

IV

Vln I

Vln II

Vla dim.

Vlc dim.

39

III

morendo

Vln I

n.v.

Vln II

n.v.

Vla

Vlc

Jesper Koch-3. String Quartet-revised 2019 22