Berlin Philharmonic Piano Quartet

Monday, March 2, 2020

Serenade, op. 12: Kodály
● Use crisp articulations to make the expressive qualities come across
● Be exactly sure how you want to express throughout
● Keep lines fluid, don’t unnecessarily accent certain beats
● Think about how sounds translate to their audience
● Match other players
● When playing in octaves, have the lower voice be about half a dynamic louder so that
the top voice can have more confidence playing in tune
● Know the context of the piece, don’t play everything so formal and civilized
● Don’t be distracted by all the printed stuff
● Make sure entrances main themes are clearly audible in a fugue

Quintet in E-flat Major, op. 97: Dvorák

● Agree on articulations and interpretation of lines
● Don’t take accents for granted, accent only where indicated. As in this case the line was
leading to an accented note, but the player was accenting more notes leading, so the
arrival did not impact as much as it should have
● With syncopation, don’t make it too long and flowy because there will be too much
sound, be slightly more separated and more emphasis on the start on the note
● Mobility in sound: listen after you’re playing and control exactly what sound you are
making
● Balance in the chord
● Be conscious of how notes are released and enter into the ether
● Know when to be in the forefront and when to be in the background
● Use imagery to set the scene of what happens next