Emerson Quartet-Art of the Fugue 9

[akapushkin]

but 1:09 just kills me :(

[akapushkin]

I like when it's performed so fast - a nice change of pace compared to the other parts.

[ClockworkAngelSeven]

LOVe that cellist so much.I'm a cellist,and it's funny,when I'm resting I watch the other performers too.When I first saw this performed,my music history teacher didn't tell us what it was.I just knew it was Bach.

Then at the end,he let the silence fall for just a moment.Then he said:

And then,Joshan Sebastian Bach.Died.

First time i ever cried in class.

[mtv565]

Art of Fugue, Unfinished Fugue's ending:

i1105 . photobucket . com / albums / h352 / artoffugueend / artoffugue_ending . jpg

[jesus777754]

Un auténtico lujo de ejecución, felicitaciones a LA CASA DE LA MÚSICA, en Quito-Ecuador que en su acertada administración hace posible que la ciudad y el país acojan a músicos de esta calidad. Solamente siento que aunque siendo relativamente económico el valor de las entradas, para mi no es posible, Felicitaciones. Rocío,Quito-Ecuador

[alipitogen]

Well played -but it must be approaching closing time at the pub. Is it lads?

[manilio91]

ah ah!

[AbsoluteZ3R0]

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who thinks that Dutton sounds abnormally badass in this video. Man, this is so amazing, some of the greatest musicians in the world playing one of the greatest works ever written. When I listen to this it really makes it hard for me to decide whether I want to compose or play for a living. I can either strive to write music this great, or I can strive to be able to play music as well as they can. Tough choice

[hispaniconumen]

jajajajajajajajajajajajajajaja­jajajajajajajajajajajajajajaja­jajajajajajaj

[crawbvmk]

i've played this with my Trumpets... i had the first solo, and.. seriously it's fucking hard

[zombieSLAYERmalia]

@crawbvmk 

[crawbvmk]

@zombieSLAYERmalia ?? XD

[zombieSLAYERmalia]

@crawbvmk lmao opps it did'nt show up. But i was going to tell you that is fucking awesome. I play the trumpet and violin (yes, that IS a weird combo, but don't judge! lol) and that I can't imagine playing this song on the trumpet. INSANE lol

[crawbvmk]

@zombieSLAYERmalia oh, it is fucking hard true, but so awesome to play, after a couple week of practice on this song, i was enable to do it almost perfectly :D the hardest part is on the begining, at 0:32 sec you can hear it... there is a mini solo, but for a trumpet, its freaking high notes :D

[hhhnightmare]

i hate how some string players just throw as many vibratos as they can to every piece of music, even if it wasn´t meant to be

[PrickStanda]

what am i saying! in fact, watching this (and a few other similar acts) got me so disturbed that i decided to upload all the 22 contrapuncti, canons and fugues of this work. in a more than decent interpretation.

[PrickStanda]

these guys are retarded :)

[mineforever128]

@bachsuonalcitofono and @z3z4z3z4z3z4z3z4

To each their own interpretation; they are the ones who performed it on television after all, not you two.

[icet827]

They're good but Shanghai Quartet is better

[ldixon11]

I like it, but they may have set a speed record for this piece, at only 2:12!!

Most other versions run over 3:00.

[schniggitty1]

Fantastic.

[xGimpyx]

I always have to look away when I listen to this. I can't stand the faces they make. It's so distracting.

[bachsuonalcitofono]

Yes, the race is started! And the winner is.... not the Music, sorry! :(

BLEAHHHHHHHHHH! :P

[z3z4z3z4z3z4z3z4]

@bachsuonalcitofono

I agree ! too fast for this piece ! it's so fast even for the solo instrument!! (?) Why?

[bachsuonalcitofono]

@z3z4z3z4z3z4z3z4 I don't know. Music is not performance.

[kaliban48]

A slower tempo would make it much better. But then maybe they trying to make it to the next commercial on A&E maybe?

[ApollosPlayground]

Mind Blowing. I love the vibratos. That's the whole point my friends. To add the performers inflections to the piece. Otherwise play it on organ. Or on a computer. What "modern" instruments do you suggest would be better for nuanced organic self-expression?

[vyvyanos]

Who transcribed this? I can't seem to to find or buy the sheet music for this anywhere.

[Muddaththir1]

The Art of Fugue was one of the best polyphony masterpieces of the mature and departing philosopher Bach! Classical version is very beautiful but the arrangement for string quartet makes the work fresh, really modern and dynamic. I really enjoy listening The Art of Fugue and WTC every day.

[sahilvohra]

what 4 instruments are used in this?

[LordDazzer]

I prefer this to be much slower, to let the harmonies sink into the area between your ears. This just sounds like 4 people playing their own parts, at a pace that is too hurried.

[Remyriz014]

The Violist Is Truly Deadly (that is a compliment).

[TONSABAT]

That is one of the best heaven's inpirations of the great Bach.

[Goncalo1221]

I'm sorry to say this, but I hear many tuning problems

[vyvyanos]

@Goncalo1221

No quartet *actually* play in tune. Emerson come as close as it gets.

[musiczQT5]

i looooove 0:46

[Remyriz014]

@musiczQT5 The viola is definitely the most under rated instrument in the orchestra, either that or the double bass.

[whatawittyusername]

viola<3

[Alduflo93]

wowee!!!! I never get tired of listening to this. Bach's contrapuntal genius combined with the Emerson quartet's incredible sound makes for a WINNING combination

[rodstartube]

I see no cables, so they are synchronized wirelessly. they should down some Mhz, it's too fast

[nintendowns]

its amazing to think that one pianist could play all of that.

[grThetrojan01gr]

Pianist must be proud lol :-P

[amazinglazedonut]

it's even more amazing to think that 4 people can coordinate such musical complexities that typically requires just one pianist.

[ApollosPlayground]

@amazinglazedonut Definitely amazing. If you like that sort of thing, check out microtonal music, or John Cage's Sonatas and Interludes played on "prepared piano" full of single strokes making multiple notes and textures. Pretty neat.

[moldyoreo]

It's interesting you should mention that. I think in my years of playing quartets I've come to realize that the group is only as good as their violist. Perhaps that's being a bit too simplistic, but there's plenty of truth in that.

[hamrickdr]

Interesting thought. I've said the same thing about my instrument, tuba, in a band--it isn't the first thing you notice, but if it is weak it will drag the group down, if it is good it will pull the group together.

[moldyoreo]

I concur. Aside from being a violinist, I also play 'bone (peashooter on the field, bass on stage) and I think the lower-mid/lower brass make or break the band.

[cmtmusik]

Too fast! It's greater more slowly

[mybad823]

are you 5 years old?

[FatherOfThings]

who about that viola!!!

[mybad823]

what about that viola?

[CorotteConstable]

Ha, ha the cellist is very good looking...but Emerson S. QTT, THE BEST QTT IN THE WORLD

[bringrofmanyachuckle]

... Umm... Which one is Dutton?

[beakybug]

The one to the right of the cellist with the cloth on his instrument.

[bringrofmanyachuckle]

Heh... He's my favorite.

[kayslay95]

hes my neighbor

[Godsviolinist]

that violist better play!!!

[mmariasoledad]

Beautiful, excellent!!!!!! I love you, Johann Sebastian

[bachprelude]

oh god, this is the master bach, thank you very much for your great music.

Bachprelude.

[54spiritedwill54]

wonderful. remember when A&E used to show stuff like this, instead of reality shows?

[dundermifflin7]

Excellent double fugue excellently played!

[soldier2119]

This is really interesting to listen differents instruments for the same piece.

Great job to thoose musicians !

[JeevesCat22]

this shit made me cry

[W4IEI]

me too.

[coasterman16]

Damn that Picardy third at the end! If the whole piece is minor, end it minor!

[danielleosimpson]

ha ha - good one. It would be interesting to study that Picardy in relation to the entire work - how often and which movements etc. There's always a method behind Bach....and a purpose....

[eleventytwelfthprez]

virtuosic...and somewhat intrusive...but it works as a fugue- hahaha

[clubsandwedge]

lol

[Krantll]

The viola`s tone is one of the best i`ve ever heard

[jewish1972]

brilliant!, the voices well conjoined but distinguishing themselves, the rythm, the impulse

[halmmmd]

wait a min,,,please check the pitch

,,this may be alittle bit high than actual note ,,therefore,,means,,,this video is alittle speeded up and they actually didnt play it this fast,,

,,HB

[shaind]

well, my cd(Art of Fugue by Emerson String Quartet) indicates that they played this piece in 2:14. they did played this fast.

[stevtomato]

a little higher than usual coz they used 440 as their concert A. Normally Baroque pieces are played flatter (almost a tone flat). Surely you've known about this?

[battleblades]

Baroque pieces were played, for the most part, in A=392 (G) for very early stuff, A=415(Ab) for the mid-to late baroque stuff, and A-430 (between Ab and A) for classical stuff like Mozart.

This sounds like A-442.

[wcbroccoli]

Baroque pitch varied with location, too. E.g., Bach encountered A415 to A465.

A440 did not become the official intl. std. until the 1950s.

But if Emerson wanted to give a historically informed peformance of mid-18th century music, they not be using these 19th century instruments (which are probably modified 17th-18th instruments), or the ugly sounding metal strings popularized after WWII. And they'd surely would have left the Gypsy violin tone at the restaurant.

[battleblades]

Yes...I forgot that baroque pitch varied too. Thanks for the corrections!

However, I believe people played baroque style on baroque instruments because of what their equipment allowed them to do. The instruments and bows back then allowed for a certain style, and that is what people played.

Modern instruments and bows allowed for a broader, more "dig in" style, however, it also made playing in the baroque style much much harder. I am of the opinion that if Bach had modern instruments,

[wcbroccoli]

Bach and his contemporaries played in the "Baroque style" because that was the style they favored. Their instruments were designed to accommodate their musical tastes. Not the other way around.

[wcbroccoli]

Apart from the bowing, about 90% of the difference in sound between a true Strad. violin and a "modern" Strad. violin is due to the strings. Metal strings, introduced around WWII, were initially more popular in America than Europe, but the concertmaster of a famous American orchestra continued to use gut strings until he retired in 1960.

[altiste1]

Don't forget the change in angle of the neck! The modern setup features a neck that slopes away from the table, permitting a great deal more tension in the strings and downward pressure on the bridge. This is actually much more influential on the power, response, and projection of an instrument than the kind of strings used.

[wcbroccoli]

I'm aware of the angle of the neck. It affects the tension which affects the volume. But I don't see why it would affect responsiveness. The change in design was the result of late 19th century tastes and desires to project sound in large, acoustically dead concert halls.

Having played both original string instruments

and corrupted versions of original instruments (i.e., modern string instruments), I'd say that at least 90% of the difference in the sound is due to the strings and the bowing.

[wcbroccoli]

Haven't heard this piece in a while. The music is so good that is sounds well even when played by these Gypsies.

[Slapazoid]

Gypsies?

[wcbroccoli]

If Bach had "modern" instruments, he'd fit them with gut strings and play them with Baroque articulations, not the "dig in" style favored by Gyspies, Late Romantics and the Emerson Quartet.

The Emerson Quartet play their 19th century instruments in the style of the Late Romantic, which is actually an old-fashioned way of playing Bach. These days, historically informed performances of Bach are actually more modern than many "modern" performances.

[wcbroccoli]

While I appreciate the skill, musicianship and artistry revealed in this performance, is it not the sound I favor. All things being equal, if I had a choice between Bach played "modern" vs historically informed, I always choose the latter.

[battleblades]

Wow.......so much information! Thanks for your educated view on Bach's music. I agree-even if we don't like the performance, we must appreciate the skill and musicianship of these fantastic musicians.

I have a lot to ponder right now. I really appreciate your side of the argument.

[battleblades]

he would play it in a modern style.

I don't think that they have a "gypsy" like tone.  I think that they are used to playing in big halls, and that the acoustics they are playing in are rather dry. Maybe that's why, coupled with the fact that the recording is right next to them. What do you think?

I know that Gil Shaham has the most wonderful tone, but, if you sit in the front row, even he scraches quite a bit, but it soars to the back of the hall as a beautiful sound. This Bach is great.

[tweezijdigplakband]

First, I think the quality of the video has a lot to do with the gypsy sound, I have their album with the complete 'Art' and the sound is much better on that. I like the sound of a quartet playing the fugues, because all the different voices have such character, particularly in comparison to an organ.

Second of all, I think that 'authentic' performances are a bit of a myth, a 20th/21st projection of modern musical aesthetics. They do aid the popularity of classical music, thought slightly.

[Terrdemarzielle]

If they did, it's a pity, cause they can't.

[sailingforde04]

You couldn't be more right. Sod the morons who think otherwise

[smithsherman]

Welcome to Bach being played as a late 20th century superficial & meaningless metronome.

[nadavnaz2]

You're completely right.

[ataysldi]

such an exciting piece!

[medpiano]

LOL! Exactly! "A&E" couldn't drop the "A" because the "E" channel was already taken. ;)

[parmesancrisp]

Beautiful. Wow, remember when A&E used to show stuff like this, instead of reality shows?

[HARMONICO101]

Reality shows where actual "reality" has nothing to do with it.

[pelahustan31416]

Este disco lo tengo yo, jajajajajajaja y vosotros no

[anisometropie]

goddamn vibratos

[medpiano]

I know, and those goddamn modern instruments! Who do these arrogant SOBs think they are playing like it's the 21st century? Any reasonable person knows that Baroque music can't evolve past the 17th century! Savages!

[anisometropie]

death to all the romantic jerks !

[HARMONICO101]

lol

[BaroqueComposer]

Awful, just awful. Granted this is a relatively fast piece, but this is just overkill. Who gave these string players amphetamines before they went on? These 'modern' interpretations are destroying baroque music.

[shaind]

IMHO, fast tempo for this piece is suitable for listeners to catch up the main theme. I do think that this is a bit fast, but it doesnot make serious problem. compare this with ones played by Loeki Stardust recorder Quartet and Helmut Walcha...

[stevtomato]

well the thing with classical music is that there can be heaps of interpretatons! That's what made it always so fresh. It would be boring if there is only one interpretation of The Art of Fugue. Different interpretations have different effects. I love this!

[nadavnaz2]

I'm all for interpretations, but each one must have a say of it's own. Each one must be of a different quality... Just playing it really fast without any musical work or enthusiasm isn't really worth much as an "interpretation" to my ears. I've listened to many different art of fugue interpretations, this one isn't of quality.

[GreatPianists]

Well, in Walcha's recording(s) he really shows the listeners the many intricacies of the fugal structure of the piece. His Bach fugues are transcendental in their lucidity, their complete transparency.

These intricacies and the lucidity I do not hear nearly as well in the Emerson rendition, though granted they did a good job putting the four voices together.

[Nizlopi2]

@medpiano lol.

[kana90]

@medpiano well just because it was in that style doesn't really mean it has to be specifically in that style. It's the 21ST CENTURY, were aloud to do things a little bit differently.

[polymath7]

@anisometropie

Uh, don't you mean 18th century?

[hawaiianflutist]

Mr. Finkel is unbearably sharp in relation to the pitch center that was already established by the first two entrances.

[sarahwaffle]

i definitely agree that lawrence dutton did a spectacular job in this performance

[PhilipKettler]

When I said that, I didn't mean that you had an inability of judging music. I didn't actually mean that I thought you were homosexual either. I am sorry.

[connectwired]

Best to say what you mean.

[hereyoucomeagain]

PhilipKettler, I'm a "gay fag" and it doesn't affect my ability to judge music at all. In fact, I believe sexuality has nothing to do with the topic here. Disagree about the merit of this performance all you want, but surely you can come up with a more intelligent (and relevant) way of getting your point across.

[PhilipKettler]

Violin I - Philip Setzer

Violin II - Eugene Drucker

Viola - Lawrence Dutton

Cello - David Finckel

[PhilipKettler]

ataysldi is a gay fag. Even if it isn't shown in this particular video, Emerson String Quartet is the best quartet out there. Listen to the Shostakovich Quartets or the Schubert Quartets and you'll see what I mean.

[ataysldi]

It is okay. If the creation (not calling it an art yet) produced is for some purpose, or for some artificial reason, digging for some more profound things, then it might not be profound anymore. Just look at/enjoy it in a simple way.

Arts' judges are all based on us -the human, and the same species who created it. What else can we say.

Enjoy it.

[gunmenow]

please keep uploading!!!! the rest of the work

[radurak]

they're really good. Love the piece and love how they play it, with fire, passion and brilliance.

Until now i only heard it on piano, but this instantly convinced me, among other transcriptions for trumpets and horns etc.

:)

[gio333e]

who is the cellist?

[PhilipKettler]

The cellist's name is David Finkel.

[medpiano]

After every piece, Bach initialed the letters for "To God be the glory"--hardly the closing penstrokes of a bored man.

[klaverfar]

Thanks, onionpizza, I appreciate your comments and can't really disagree. The unfathomable depth of these works is what makes them so exiting, so valuable and so worth studying. (And I can promise you that I will NEVER let my son give up that study... Not that I think he would ever want to: he laughs and sings from pleasure, playing these fugues).

[HaMoOhAhA]

Do you guys ever feel like your overanalyzing his pieces. Sometimes I do. I'm not trying to provoke an argument or anything, but when I study his works and stuff, it always occurs to me that maybe Bach wrote this or that piece just for fun, like working on a difficult puzzle or something, like maybe there's no deep meaning or anything and he just decided to do it becuase he was bored.

[HaMoOhAhA]

like, for example, I paint a picture just becuase I felt like, I die, my art is rediscovered, and then the painting is considered the greatest painting ever painted. I'm not sur if I'm being clear, but do you get my drift.

[klaverfar]

But of course, HaMo could be right in the way that IF Bach was bored, he would probably react to that boredom by going to the klavier and write a fugue, instead of turning on the tv. This fugue would, if his was inspirered in that moment, then as anything by a craftsman the greatness of a Bach or a Goya or whatever, be a complex and ever inspirering masterpiece.

[klaverfar]

Not so much analyzing, HaMo, as trying to capture precisely what it is that makes us return to Bach, to Picasso, to Dostoyevski. They hit something inside us - just curious to know what, why and how... Call it an intellectual quest or passtime. Not really an analysis, as I see it.

[onionpizza]

Many talented people have spent a big chunk of their lives studying Bach like others have spent their lives studying Euler or Newton. I have spent a fair amount of energy trying to make sense of Bach's fugues. I can play many of them flawlessly, by heart, but in private I'm embarrassed to acknowledge that I'm years light from anything resembling comprehension. That's why I made the comment about playing the notes and comprehending them. Sorry for the long comment.

[onionpizza]

My point is that the magnitude of Bach's dimension is beyond most mortals very much like Euler's papers on mathematics or Shakespeare's plays. One can read them, one can play them and one can talk about them but unless one has rewired his brain to resonate with the same sense of cosmic order that prompted those people to write what they wrote or comprehension of their work is like...like trying to shave our faces with a dull knife.

[klaverfar]

Best quartet-version I've heard. Wonderful. Thanks, medpiano. (Funny to think though, that this 4-part fugue in all it's apparent complexity really isn't more difficult than it can actually be played by a talented 10-year old on a piano.)

[onionpizza]

anyone can play the notes; my synthesizer can play them quite well too. playing them right is an entirely different story.

it took 64 years for bach to write this. johann christian bach, his youngest son was quite a talented musician himself yet he couldn't play this piece due to its musical complexity. heck, my 5-year old daughter can read shakespeare quite convincingly even though she has no idea what she's talking about.

[klaverfar]

I'm not quite sure I know what you're hinting at, onionpizza: That no human being is worthy of playing Bach, whatever the age, because they are too dumb to understand it... - or that your have to reach a certain age, before you develop musicality enough to enjoy a fugue??? My son (10) loves the piece (and Bach fugues in general), enjoys immensely to follow the voices through the piece, and enhance first one, then another, while playing it. Should I tell him he's wrong and better play Für Elise?

[onionpizza]

Tell your son to persevere BY ALL MEANS! I fell in love with Bach when I was 6 and by 10 I had the same pleasure tracking the different voices; I believe I am with him on that.

Bach is one of the best things that happened to me and I hope your son says the same 40 years from now. My point ... next comment...