MacMollan and shost quartets

Q: When were the two quartets written relative to each other?

A: At slightly different times.

Q: How do both quartets begin their motifs?

A: Both employ a canon beginning gradually introducing motifs.

Q: How does Shostakovich's quartet canon start compared to MacMillan's?

A: Shostakovich starts from the bottom of the ensemble to the top; MacMillan starts the other way round.

Q: What is notable about the pitch range in MacMillan's "Memento"?

A: The instruments are at quite a high pitch, especially the cello, which often holds bass notes.

Q: How does Shostakovich use pitch range in his quartet?

A: Uses all instruments with the 1st violin sitting above everything in the texture but mostly instruments are pitched quite low to fit the grave feeling of the first movement.

Q: What techniques give Shostakovich's quartet a folk influence?

A: Glissandi which sound like a sigh and grace notes.

Q: What special technique does MacMillan use involving harmonics?

A: Artificial harmonics formed by placing the hand firmly down and placing but not pressing a note a 4th up from the fundamental note, sounding a note 2 octaves higher.

Q: What kind of texture does Shostakovich use in his quartet?

A: Contrapuntal texture often with two instruments holding a pedal note while the 1st violin plays a solo line and the 2nd violin plays a countermelody.

Q: How is MacMillan's texture described?

A: Canonic and fugal with pedal notes being mostly harmonics so they sound very high.

Q: What Scottish influence is evident in MacMillan's quartet?

A: Scottish-folk-like influence, grace notes, and dotted rhythms.

Q: What is the structural source for Shostakovich’s quartet?

A: It comes from the DSCH motif (outside context needed).

Q: What rhythmic figure quoted from Shostakovich’s 1st symphony is present?

A: Dotted crotchet tied to quaver and then minim, a two-part counterpoint.

Q: How does Shostakovich use the DSCH motif?

A: Recyles its usage throughout the movement, for example as a fugue or at figure 3 in the cello.

Q: How does Shostakovich alter the DSCH motif?

A: Sometimes re-orders the pitch and at figure (unspecified) in chordal/homophonic textures he uses rhythmic augmentation on the melody, changing the feel.

Q: What characterizes MacMillan’s melodies?

A: Dotted rhythm.

Q: Does MacMillan have a main melody?

A: No, more of a slow-moving canonic soundscape with things coming in and out of focus, very calm and serene.