Seremoj és Románca String Quartet - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.857810

Seremoj és Románca originates from the Carpathian region (Hungary/Transylvania/Moldova) where Leoš Janáček and Béla Bartók famously collected folk songs in the early 20th century. We discovered this simple, soulful tune on YouTube, performed by a traditional Moravian folk band; the beautifully raw melodies transport the listener to pre-modern Moravia, and one can feel palpably the inspirational context that had such a profound effect on these first ethnomusicologists. Apollo’s spirited arrangement of Seremoj és Románca evokes the eternal story of love: the excitement of courtship, the fickleness of lust, and the anguish of heartbreak. A lone violin begins with the melancholic primary melody, the mood interrupted by an upbeat and contrasting secondary tune. As both melodies progress, evolve, and take different forms - much like love - the combinations and layering of the string quartet voices add fresh aural dimensions. Then, the doleful first theme is revisited by the solo cello, like the sudden and powerful reminiscence of lost love. Again this proves ephemeral, as the animated second melody returns with a bang, stronger than ever and filled with happy ignorance. Or is it? After the violins briefly trade a new theme (a folk-gyrating tune with an unmistakable hint of Bartókian flare), Seremoj és Románca concludes reflecting the ambiguity of love, as a variation of the forlorn first melody repeats and fades hurriedly into the distance. Featured in Apollo's album, 'EUROPEAN FOLKSCAPES,' available on Navona Records. www.navonarecords.com www.apollochamberplayers.org.