Ernest Bloch: The man and his music; Episode 3 of 15

Riverside radio presents the third in a series of 15 programs on the law the man and his music. The commentator for these programs is the composer's daughter Suzanne block this block is a well-known authority on early music a lecture and a member of the faculty at The Juilliard School. In this series you provide illuminating details about her father's life and work and gives intriguing insights into the background of his compositions. This week's program will be devoted in its entirety to a performance of the string quartet number one in B minor. And now here is Suzanne block in 1916. Block was in the midst of the discouragement and yet she found a way of hoping to visit an old friend who had lost track often says you. One evening was practicing his rod and the phone rang and my mother went to answer it and then came to me and said and asked there's a call from an old friend of yours and rat father of Rudy and said I have new friends. He was very very lonely in those days. But mother said no but this is an old colleague of yours he was in your class when you were a little boy

taking rat innocence his name is Alfred Bushong and. Bushnell where that's different and ran to the phone and he found out there that this friend offered partial and I'm a chill man had founded and was a second Valen ist of the Flozell a string crafted that had been touring all over America. BUSH I had heard of my father's predicament and his struggles to make a living and said to him Do you know something Frederick's talk of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has spoken of his interest in your first symphony and I'm wondering whether you should not try to come to America through the help of push on the front a string quartet of course he came to America as a conductor for the dance and more Dalen and finished a string quartet in a rooming house in New York on December 30 1st 1916. Their work is premiere by the front Celestion crafted to meet was dedicated and the impact of it was tremendous. From I reckon we did the press and from the stories told by black friends through the success and other concerts that position was often blocked by the manis School of Music and so he would

turn to Europe with a new future great in recognition and in the fall of 1979 brought his whole family to settle in New York and in due time we all became American citizens. Much has been written about the first quarter. This is what he said in his fifties. After I had witnessed for string quartet I have a tender spot in my heart for my first cocked hat because it represents me completely as I felt at least in 1916. This work is in some way a synthesis of my vision of the world at the time I wrote it. It is a kind of confession of open heart with no other concern and for that reason a more subjective work than the three other quartets a doctrine that would perhaps give a better idea of the root is another block rule to push will be fully funding the score for the first performance of the work. I'm in the process of annotating the quartet. I'm rather previously making notes on the score. I would give is as I customarily do only musical indications. One keeps

others for oneself. Your friendship will make allowances for this naked picture of my inspiration. Thus you shall know what I have wanted but I have lived in what I have accomplished. Though this last is not for me to say definitely have Jewish inspiration mixtures of a Pret of violence and of pain. Do not fear an excess of expression. Think of the Bible of the author of the Psalms of the Oriental blood and think of the poor old ones shamed crushed that you have met in your days in the streets in the country around Geneva with long beards desperate dirty yet still carrying what sort of hope. But having prayers in Hebrew there was all of that in my lament Oh I am almost certain that this Allegro friend Nettie call will make you gnash your teeth at first though you are well versed in modern music. I did not look at humanity with a friendly eye while writing this. It is rather a horrible grimace a stew for witches that contains plenty of bile

in the tree of this movie diskette so again in spite of myself there are reminiscences of the painter Gauguin. There is some Tahiti in their far off Pacific Isles pasta route. This pasta route has been entirely composed in open air in the woods and the mountains. The theme of the opening lament overtones here but full of serenity and peace almost with affection. The following theme for Viola could be called UPC for it evokes for me the smell of smoke Lard of still warm milk of chalet. Now here is something strange. The theme that follows came I know not how it has no reason for being there. It comes with a hunting theme taken from a 10 year old project I had of writing a lyrical drama about prehistoric life a sort of primitive lullaby Block's let it end there. Since it only sent the first few movements where I was copying the fourth movement which you sent later. So this is right. Is the last movement of actually Allegro con for coal.

This movement brings back when to the world of reality. The introduction contains themes from the preceding movements and as a bloc said later is rhapsodic in style and intended to emphasize a subtle bond of character which without a set programme linked together the four movements of the crack to block use of the sack like form. Funny as much of his job in music it may come from his conception of a composition being a kin to complete life. When at the end when we relive the past with memories the themes of earlier times reappearing in diffuse form. You were not here blocks first train cross-checked performed by the roll string quartet. Thank.

You. Ya. I am. There's.

The AM. I have. I am. Think.

Tank. The are.

The big. Bang. The end. The way.

The band. I am. The way. In the world.

Why. The end.