From The Academy: Leelanee Sterrett on Ligeti's Violin Concerto
On December 19,
Ensemble ACJW will join forces with Sir Simon Rattle, violinist
Christian Tetzlaff, and soprano Barbara Hannigan to perform a program of
works by Rameau, Ligeti, and Richard Strauss. Two members of the
ensemble—Brian Ellingsen and Leelanee Sterrett—share their thoughts on
working with these luminaries of the classical music world. Today,
Leelanee Sterrett writes about the complexity of Liegti's Violin
Concerto and the importance of working with the highest caliber artists.
In less than two weeks, Ensemble ACJW will be performing the works of
Rameau, Strauss, and Ligeti in Zankel Hall, led by Sir Simon Rattle and
featuring soloists Christian Tetzlaff and Barbara Hannigan. This is a
concert and collaboration I've been looking forward to with giddy
anticipation all season. Add to that, since receiving my French horn
part to Ligeti's Violin Concerto two months ago, a fair bit of
trepidation as well. The piece is kaleidoscopic, wild, and haunting.
Ligeti's sonic palate is vast; for me, the experience of hearing this
piece is visceral and emotionally involved. It's also really, really
challenging to play. Maybe the most challenging piece I have ever
prepared in an orchestra. For starters, the horn players are instructed
to play without the modern convenience of our valves throughout the
first three movements. Ligeti writes, "Play always as a Waldhorn, keep
the right hand away from the bell, do not correct the natural tones."
Essentially, this entails playing extended passages using a single
combination of depressed valves. The sound and technique emulate the
natural horn ("Waldhorn") of the past by using only those pitches
belonging to the natural overtone series. However, things are
complicated by the fact that not all of these natural tones align with
our more evenly tempered sense of pitch, so many of the notes sound
quite out of tune. In fact, Ligeti even asks that several string players
"de-tune" their instruments to match the natural harmonics as played by
the bass. It's a bear to work out these passages, but the resulting
effect is satisfyingly nostalgic and eerily ethereal.
Considering several other requirements in the score, I guess I should
be happy that at least I'm playing on my own, familiar instrument: the
woodwinds, in addition to doubling on standard auxiliary instruments
(piccolo, E-flat clarinet, etc.), are tripling on various ocarinas and
recorders. Mechanical complexities aside, there still remain the various
challenges of rhythm, structure, and ensemble in the piece.
In all of this, Ensemble ACJW could not find more capable leadership
than Maestro Rattle and Mr. Tetzlaff. I cannot wait to hear how this
performance will come to life under their leadership. These two artists
are so much a part of the here-and-now of classical music, and their
expertise and versatility as performers informs our highest standards in
music making today. It is tremendously exciting, not to mention a
little nerve-wracking, of course, to work with such icons in the field.
But more than that, this collaboration is a terrific reminder that we
emerging professionals belong to a living, evolving tradition of music
making and sharing.
While I've focused primarily on the Ligeti Violin Concerto here, the
full program for December
19 is fantastically varied. It will be fascinating to see how
Maestro Rattle approaches Rameau's suite from Les Boréades in
comparison to Ligeti's Mysteries of the Macabre. Mr. Tetzlaff,
after performing the Ligeti concerto, will lead a string ensemble as
concertmaster in Strausss' Metamorphosen. To be a part of this
concert reinforces my belief that live performance is a vibrant and
relevant experience for everyone involved. I think Ensemble ACJW's
performance will have as much to do with the relationship between
musicians, composers, and listeners, as it will with individual
virtuosity or compositional complexity. At least, that's how I see it!
In any case, December
19's concert is going to be something special, and I hope you'll
come share the experience.
—Leelanee Sterrett