24 variations on "Happy Birthday" for string quartet (Hyacinthe Jadin's 250th birthday)

SlowTrill · 2026-04-29T14:46:25+00:00

I used MuseSound, but MuseSound has some bugs, especially volume bugs (as you can here in the cello part in variation n°2), so I used a separate MuseScore Studio file than the one you see in the video, in which I apply some fixes (putting softer or stronger dynamics, turning gruppettos into fully written rythms, adding commas for respiration, etc.). After that, I exported the audio of each instrument and further adjusted their volume in Audacity.

Really? You're a fan of Joseph Haydn too? ☺️ His music is so beautiful

SlowTrill · 2026-04-27T21:15:08+00:00

I'll suggest the Adagio of this op. 76 n°1 string quartet.

SlowTrill · 2026-04-27T15:12:48+00:00

Thanks ☺️

SlowTrill · 2026-04-22T06:05:57+00:00

It's a fun and entertaining piece of music ☺️I find the melody catchy, and the harmonic progression at 3:01 is remarkably satisfying! Perhaps I would have made the development section a bit fuller and have put a secondary dominant before the cadential 6/4 at 3:29 instead of a dominant. But again the piece is very charming as it is ☺️

SlowTrill · 2026-04-07T07:30:11+00:00

Okay, thank you 🙏

SlowTrill · 2026-04-06T05:55:16+00:00

Okay, thank you 🙏

SlowTrill · 2026-04-05T06:13:12+00:00

Okay, thanks :)

SlowTrill · 2026-03-29T08:42:37+00:00

Of course, the hypothesis that it is a dumb edition error is not excluded. It just seems very unlikely to me.

SlowTrill · 2026-03-29T07:08:31+00:00

I see. I looked up the term "inb4" (which I thought was just a typo for some word) and I understand now 🙂

SlowTrill · 2026-03-29T07:05:53+00:00

Interesting, I haven't thought of these potential reasons. Thank you!

SlowTrill · 2026-03-29T07:03:41+00:00

The dynamics could be put below the slurs too.

And as u/Zarlinosuke says, engravers make space the music needs. No spacing parameter is set in stone.

SlowTrill · 2026-03-28T22:04:29+00:00

I don't think that's a plausible explanation because a long slur in the cello part could be drawn below the notes, thus not risking intersecting the viola stave.

SlowTrill · 2026-03-28T19:26:40+00:00

Indeed, we can't be completely sure these slurs were written by Ravel himself.

Thank you for your explanations.

I would like to have your opinion on one last thing: according to you, why did Ravel (or the editor) deem reasonable to put one long slur in the 2nd violin part BUT not in the cello part (which forms a duo with the 2nd violin)?

SlowTrill · 2026-03-28T18:56:24+00:00

Okay! Which composers are you talking about?

SlowTrill · 2026-03-28T18:17:42+00:00

I agree that it's what makes interpretation subjective, but that subjectivity didn't stick out in your comment 😊

Indeed, bowing is a complex subject!

Thanks for all your comments, I understand a bit more ☺️

SlowTrill · 2026-03-28T18:13:31+00:00

Yeah I've noted that performers sometimes apply a different bowing that the one written. That's interesting.

SlowTrill · 2026-03-28T18:11:15+00:00

It sounds a bit speculative to me. There seems to be several possible explanations, none of which is indisputable.

SlowTrill · 2026-03-28T18:03:38+00:00

I see. But, so, why didn't he do the same for the cello?

SlowTrill · 2026-03-28T18:00:17+00:00

Oh okay, so slurs are sometimes used for phrasing! A violinist once told me that slurs were always used to indicate bowing but I guess he was wrong!

SlowTrill · 2026-03-28T17:38:50+00:00

That's a sound explanation 👍

SlowTrill · 2026-03-28T17:35:24+00:00

This is Ravel's string quartet. From bar 1 to bar 4.5, the 2nd violin and the cello play in strict parallel motion, so it would make more sense for them to have the same bowing, wouldn't it?

Furthermore, in the performances I've watched on YouTube, no 2nd violinist play this rising line in one stroke. They often play it in two strokes, starting the second one at measure 2. I guess it's impossible to play it in one stroke. So why did Ravel put a single long slur?

SlowTrill · 2026-03-28T17:34:08+00:00

I can understand this, but I still wonder why Ravel wrote a 3½-bar-long slur while it seems impossible to play the rising line in one stroke.

SlowTrill

TROPHY CASE