Beethoven house concert

On a sunny afternoon in the middle of September, a CMW Players quartet, composed of Ealain, Chase, Annalisa, and myself went to the nearby home of Linda Daniels and Bill Hopkins to play Beethoven's string quartet, opus 18, No. 1. The afternoon sun brightened their open living room, and the musical set-up was accompanied by a variety of delicious homemade snacks and beverages. While the house concert was advertised as starting at 3 pm, I found myself mingling and just enjoying the company of the people around me until about 3:30. At that point I looked at Chase and asked him, “So, do you think we should play something” Chase’s response echoed my own thoughts: “Oh, yeah, I forgot that we were going to perform!” 

It is rare for me, as a classical musician, to walk into a performance situation and immediately feel so comfortable and at home. I am used to the conventional performance rituals; studying at Peabody Conservatory and Northwestern University, I have been taught that a performance involves many months of preparation leading up to one singular defining moment. During this defining moment, the performer makes contact with his/her audience by playing his/her instrument, “speaking” only through the music. This approach places the art of music-making on a pedestal, separating it from the types of interactions that we all have on a daily basis.  

Our afternoon with Beethoven was not at all like that! People sat all around us snacking on delicious desserts and, during our introductions, we joked about my ryhming job title (I am CMW's “Cello Fellow"). And when we started to play, I could feel that same level of comfort and safety from my colleagues. There was a new level of trust between us; we were listening more closely, taking more risks, and generally just making better music than I had anticipated!
  
After our performance, conversations continued, and mixed in with other chatter, now there were discussions about Beethoven and the inspired nature of his composition. For me, the highlight of the afternoon, and the greatest satisfaction that we could ask for, was the sound of young CMW students practicing upstairs as the party started to die down. 

More recently, I can't help but think how our performance in Bill and Linda’s home was more successful than when we had presented the same work in a more formal concert hall setting. Simply by moving the performance to a more intimate and comfortable environment, we were more able to connect with the sense of exploration and joy that Beethoven felt when composing his early works. 

I’m not advocating for the removal of the concert hall experience; the tradition and ritual surrounding those performances allow both performers and audience members to focus in ways that may not be replicated in other settings. But, I do ask that musicians think about why we have chosen this specific career. For me, the end goal has always been to gain a deeper understanding of beauty, and to share that beauty with others. This sharing of beauty should not occur only in our sacred concert halls. Our Beethoven concert proved to me that this music also belongs within the very structures that define our everyday lives: our homes, our schools, our workspaces and community centers.   

-Lauren Latessa, Fellow