Jones’ String Quartet Brings Legends To Life
Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Dvorak, Bartok, Jones. Ah, yes, they are all famous composers who wrote for the string quartet medium and … wait a minute, Jones? Who is this Jones?
David P. Jones is still on the music faculty at Eastern Washington University and is very much alive. So, even though he has written tons of music, how can he be listed with the greats? Conventional wisdom dictates that one must be dead to be a recognized composer.
This attitude is difficult for current composers to overcome. On being sandwiched between Beethoven and Smetana on the Spokane String Quartet’s program, Jones combined a reverence for the masters with a little tongue-in-cheek when he said, “I have the distinction of being the only composer on the program who is still alive.”
Well, the masters deserve reverence. After all, millions of people have heard their stuff, and it has stood the test of time. But as good as it is, saying you like Beethoven is not exactly sticking your neck out. Wouldn’t it be awesome to be the first to hear a piece and help determine its future?
Here’s your chance. Nobody has heard Jones’ String Quartet No. 4 except for the Spokane String Quartet and anyone who has pressed an ear to their practice room door. Heck, Jones hasn’t even heard real performances of his first three quartets, so think of what a thrill it is to get a commission from the SSQ to write No. 4, knowing it’s going to be played.
Jones knows how Eastern Washington’s quartet-in-residence plays and wrote to their strengths. While preparing pre-concert lectures for them and studying a couple of the quartets of Bartok and Shostakovich, Jones felt a desire to “hook into tradition” and write in the Western mainstream.
While still sounding like Jones, the Quartet No. 4 is a homage to Bartok’s Fourth in its five-movement arch form and palindromic middle movement. “It’s not terribly tonal,” Jones says, “but it comes to center on D in the third movement. The second and fourth movements have serial elements on an eight-tone row. But it’s not a grim piece, it’s very romantic.”
Also on the Spokane String Quartet’s program are Beethoven’s Opus 18, No. 6 in B-flat, “La Malinconia” and Smetana’s E minor Quartet, “From My Life.” These are certainly worth hearing even if you aren’t up to braving a premier.
“Come for the Beethoven, stay for the Jones.”
xxxx CONCERT The Spokane String Quartet will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at The Met. Tickets: $15 for adults ($12 for seniors and students), available at Hoffman Music, Street Music, G&B Select-a-Seat, (800) 325-SEAT.