String Quartet in G Major

Contrasts that belong to the whole ensemble

The opening of K. 387 changes quickly between strong and soft phrases while the four parts move with distinct contours. The contrast needs a collective response, rather than a change made by the first violin alone. Misha Amory’s Brentano note also draws attention to the finale’s playful counterpoint, where an idea takes on new meaning as other voices enter around it.

Follow an idea through different voices

Start by rehearsing the opening’s dynamic changes together, keeping the softer phrases alive and directed. Then choose a short imitative passage in the finale and trace its subject through the score. Listen to each new entrance without letting it erase the line already in progress. Practising in changing pairs can reveal how an apparently supporting part helps the music move and how the ensemble’s balance must keep adjusting.

Music in this edition

1. String Quartet in G Major