Multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger Drew Jurecka and spouse/fellow musician Rebekah Wolkstein fashioned The Venuti String Quartet with violist Shannon Knights, and cellist Amahl Arulanandam. The entire musicians are veterans of Toronto’s many classical ensembles, and carry out with the COC and Nationwide Ballet orchestras, Tafelmusik and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, amongst different ensembles.
Their first recording as a quartet — Drew Jurecka & Maurice Ravel: String Quartets — will likely be launched on February 28 in celebration of Ravel’s a hundred and fiftieth birthday.
Classically skilled, as is Wolkstein (with whom he performs within the ensemble Payadora), Drew Jurecka works in a variety of genres from jazz to pop. He’s carried out on, and written for, work that seems on greater than 150 albums by artists like Royal Wooden, Bahamas, and Hailee Steinfeld.
We spoke to him concerning the album and live performance.
Drew Jurecka: The Interview
This system pairs Jurecka’s quartet with Ravel’s. It’s a composer, and an period, he’s lengthy been drawn to.
“I consider Ravel as being a part of a motion of composers that had been exploring totally different types, and had been coming into contact with exoticism musically,” he says.
As he factors out, Ravel’s pursuits and musical influences included a variety of worldwide musical genres like jazz and different American types. “And likewise, [composers] had been transferring away from the usual Western tonality in a method that I nonetheless discover very interesting.”
Ravel’s String Quartet in F main, his one and solely, was composed in 1903, and it was that period of Western music the place the previous harmonic and different varieties had been starting to fall away, however weren’t but changed by any particular system, such because the twelve-tone system that may observe. Jurecka factors out that it allowed Ravel and his contemporaries to experiment extra merely and immediately with the sounds they wished, unfettered by dogma.
“It’s true, and Ravel famously didn’t wish to discuss useful concord along with his friends,” he says. “He represents a type of lovely, spirit-driven music.”
Jazz vs. Classical
Drew’s work as a producer, multi-instrumentalist and arranger takes him throughout North America. He was nominated for a Grammy for Document of the Yr for his work with pop singer Dua Lipa, which included arranging strings, performing, and engineering on the music Don’t Begin Now.
In the case of each modern jazz and modern classical music, there’s a important overlap. As Jurecka notes, jazz and classical musicians have an analogous method to the music, and each varieties emphasize technical and expressive talents.
That’s to not say that difficult or tough passages are needed in any style.
“What felt like a revelation to me, however was apparent to everybody round me, was that music might be quite simple […] or it may be superbly advanced,” he says, “however, for those who’re lacking your listener — it’s a failure.”
That’s the hazard of making music that’s overly mental. The Impressionists, as he explains, had been extra listener centered. Technical problem had a objective: expression. “We want each issues to exist,” he says. Of the 2, expression is the extra essential for listeners. “It may be all vibe,” he says. “As a listener, you don’t wish to be siting there going, wow this man is working very laborious.”
The scherzo (2nd) motion of Jurecka’s string quartet in an animated video conceived and directed by Rebekah Wolkstein and animated by Marcus Kim Cade:
Drew Jurecka: String Quartet No. 1
Jurecka’s String Quartet took a couple of decade to take form between 2010 and 2020.
“Writing a quartet is one thing I’ve wished to do for a very long time simply because I really like the medium,” he says.
As a classically-trained musician who works largely in non-classical environments, he was intrigued by the expressive powers of the string quartet as an ensemble.
“It has the potential to sound like a 100 musicians,” he says. Dynamics will also be explored. “It in some way permits a complete vary.”
The Venuti Quartet got here collectively due to that fascination, and a lately accomplished string quartet manuscript that wanted efficiency and recording. “We began this group as a result of we love string quartets and we wished to play it.”
After years of labor accomplished, for probably the most half, for different artists and their initiatives, he was completely happy to have the chance to compose and carry out his personal music. That’s to not say he’s rejecting the world of pop or jazz, or the work he’s performed there. “I wished to function a number of the textures I’ve been enjoying with,” he provides.
The interplay of the actions in a string quartet intrigued him. “I wished to discover the type of a string quartet,” he says. “A string quartet is type of an idea album.
I wished to discover that concept. It was a problem for myself.”
As in Ravel’s work, he makes use of what he calls a “jazzy language” throughout the type of a string quartet. “I type of wished to play with a few of these conventional issues from Haydn and Beethoven, and people conventional writers, and take them in a distinct course.”
His composition was written in spurts over the 10-year interval. “I had musical compatriots who would encourage me.”
Pairing it with Ravel’s string quartet appeared like a pure selection. “Actually, it’s simply that I’m very influenced by the harmonic language of that motion. “
The Live performance
The February 28 live performance takes place at Hugh’s Room Dwell. The quartet will likely be performing their total album, together with a bunch of items by midcentury modernist Austro-Czech composer Erwin Schulhoff.
“He was a part of that Weimar scene.,” Jurecka says. “Additionally they match into that adventurous however nonetheless emotionally accessible language that Ravel used,” he provides.
“That’s one of many cool issues about residing now, is that we now have entry to the whole lot,” he says of the modern composer’s palette.
Rebekah Wolkstein provides of his string quartet, “I feel Ravel would like it.”
Each hope the work has an extended life and wider attain than a neighborhood premiere. “It will require a quartet to have a extremely nice jazz violinist,” Wolkstein provides.
The recording additionally features a little bit of a shock.
“There’s a tiny little piece on the finish of the album referred to as The Spider,” Drew says. “It’s a bit that I wrote with Jay Danley.” Danley is a Toronto jazz artist and composer, and The Spider was written when he and Jurecka had a weekly gig on the Rex Resort. “The 2 of us wrote that piece, and carried out it as an encore each week.”
For the album, he expanded on it considerably (it’s a couple of minute lengthy) to accommodate a string quartet. “It pays tribute to Carl Stalling, who was the good composer of Merry Melodies and Looney Tunes [cartoons],” Jurecka says. “It’s a enjoyable little bon bon.”
“It’s so uncommon that Drew writes music only for the sake of claiming what he desires to say.,” Rebekah says. “It’s a testomony to his artistry and that he actually ought to do it extra.”
“I actually do love collaboration loads,” Drew permits. 4 of the albums he’s labored on are presently nominated for a JUNO Award. “It’s uncommon to have truly taken the time to create one thing of my very own.”
- Discover extra details about the February 28 album launch live performance, and tickets, [HERE].
- The album will likely be launched on March 7 on Leaf Music [HERE].
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Anya Wassenberg is a Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an skilled freelance author, blogger and writing teacher.
