Show 277, Bowling Green, Ohio, Listening Guide
Chason Goldfinger, 17, composer
String Quartet No. 1, Elemental, Op. 15
IV. Salamandrae (Fire)
Fire is very much about the element itself of fire. When I was thinking fire, and like fire, it has some semblance of order – it consumes, but not radially. It expands and moves in different directions with the fuel and so it also feels a little chaotic. To get that feeling, I created this little tiny motive that starts in the beginning and if the piece is played really well, the audience should feel the intensity of rushing really fast somewhere to get away from the burning sensation especially when contrasted with the movement before it. That original motif goes a way and this sort of Gypsy like tone comes in for the middle section. That section first comes in with a high and graceful violin and it’s strange and it’s pulse is quickening. And with the fire, while you’re not touching it, you feel the fire stinging your face and you feel the heat and the light. The light is as important as the heat in the movement. If you’re approaching the movement coming out of the rest of the quartet, it has this nice element of surprise—with this jarring classical structure. And then it should feel over before it’s happened.
Fire in particular, it is certainly fun to play. I’ve played it.
A favorite memory or highlight:
There were so many but probably the SHOW! But something like the jam session was awesome!
What do you believe music has the power to do?
Music has the power to CHANGE LIVES!!
Sein An, 15, violin
Havanaise in E Major, Op. 83
By: Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921)
On the Saint-Saëns Havanaise
This is the piece I’ve always wanted to play from my childhood. It’s not as well-known as the other Saint-Saëns works, but it’s something I’ve always listened to before I was learning it because I loved the Spanish style. I’m so happy that I get to play this piece. I’m trying to communicate the rhythm of it – it’s kind of dance-like, the style of it. I want to get the audience to listen to the style of it. The hardest part is getting the right mood and style. It’s technically challenging, so you want the technical part and the musical part to blend together.
A favorite memory or highlight:
This is very EASY for me to answer. Phone call from Janine Jansen. <3 Thank you!
What do you believe music has the power to do?
Music has the power to make you realize the beauty of everything, not only in music, but also in the life of Beethoven! Or just anything.
Patrick Pan, 15, piano
II. Scherzo: Allegretto vivace
from Sonata No. 18 in E-flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3 “The Hunt”
By: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
On the Beethoven piece he will perform on the show:
I picked up the piece a couple months ago and it’s really exciting. It’s the second movement of a Beethoven sonata and the entire sonata works with the title called The Hunt. It has a jovial character but also in some places has that signature of the Beethoven forte and it’s very representative of this cheeky and playful character. Of course that’s Beethoven’s signature style– intermixing of that genius with classical style.
A favorite memory or highlight:
Jam session just minutes before the show started.
What do you believe music has the power to do?
Music is truly a universal language that can make friends from enemies and really bond anybody.
Quartet Lumiére
String Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26
I. Un poco andante – Allegro molto ed agitato
By: Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)
AND
String Quartet No. 1, Elemental, Op. 15
IV. Salamandrae (Fire)
Chason Goldfinger (b. 1996)
On the Grieg String Quartet:
Rebecca Benjamin: I think definitely the piece that we most got into was the Grieg. It was so powerful. In rehearsal it was so big and grand, so it was really exciting to get to share that with everybody. It was a piece that we all really connected to and felt so strongly about.
Mira Williams: I think definitely the Grieg was kind of our showpiece. Exciting and powerful. There’s a bit at the end where Josiah has the solo, and me, Gallia and Rebecca have harmonics, or tremolos, and it sounds really cool and he comes in with the solo. The whole piece before that moment is very intense and dramatic, and then that part is dramatic too but in a very different way.
Josiah Yoo: I think since Grieg is kind of nationalistic folk music, the whole piece almost sounds like a superhero, action kind of story. At the beginning, and when the beginning comes back, I can picture a superhero over a town or something, and then when it gets to the second melody, it’s pleading and in pain and almost desperate. At that point, it’s kind of like the people are in distress, and they have no help and they’re kind of doomed. But the hero seems to come back in different parts of the piece.
On the Goldfinger Quartet:
Gallia Kastner: The fourth movement is really cool. It kind of reminds me of that modern, Shostakovich feel. It’s something really out there – it’s very cool. I’ve never played anything like it. It’s very interesting. Sometimes it gets a little wacky, a little weird in some places, but I think that’s what makes the piece stand out. This young composer, whoever he is, I think he’s amazing. He composed something this complex and this hard. Learning these notes is difficult, at least for the first violin part. I think it’s definitely really cool and I enjoyed learning it.
Rebecca Benjamin: I think it’s a very unique piece in really remarkable kind of style. It seems very quirky to me but at the same time it’s genius. The 4th movement which we performed is the fire element and I think Chason captured that very well in the piece. It’s kind of chaotic, very loud and harsh. It was really fun to play, and wonderful being able to work with the composer himself.
Gallia Kastner, 16, violin
A favorite memory or highlight:
Coming back to the show with my quartet and playing Chason’s piece
What do you believe music has the power to do?
It has the power to save lives. Changes someone’s perspective about classical music and their own life.
Rebecca Benjamin, 18, violin
A favorite memory or highlight:
The opportunity to be together with my quartet again and play together on the show was an experience I’ll never forget. It had always been a dream of mine to be on From the Top and I can’t imagine a better experience than I had with my quartet.
Jamming backstage before the show was so fun!
Playing Chason’s piece on the live show was amazing. There was so much energy and enthusiasm that night. I had never played a modern piece when the composer was present – LOVED the experience!!! It made me want to do more of that in the future.
What do you believe music has the power to do?
Music has the power to change lives. It can bring so much encouragement and joy to others.
Mira Williams, 15, viola
A favorite memory or highlight:
-our performance of Chason’s piece
-the mini jam session backstage
What do you believe music has the power to do?
-connect anyone and everyone
-evoke intense emotions…
Josiah Yoo, 15, cello
A favorite memory or highlight:
Improv just before the show ☺
What do you believe music has the power to do?
Change a life.
Change every life.
