A Late Quartet

(ORCHESTRAL FANFARE PLAYS)

(MORSE CODE BEEPING)

(FANFARE ENDS)

(WOMAN COUGHS SOFTLY)

(DOOR OPENS)

(FOOTSTEPS ECHOING)

(LOUD APPLAUSE)

(SLOW, SOMBER

ORCHESTRAL OVERTURE PLAYS)

(LATCHES CLICK)

(PLAYING SLOW,

MELANCHOLY MELODY)

MAN:
"Time present and time past

Are both perhaps present in time future,

And time future contained in time past.

If all time is eternally present

All time is unredeemable.

Or say that the end precedes

the beginning,

And the end and the beginning

were always there

Before the beginning and after the end.

And all is always now. "

That's T.S. Eliot,

his take on Beethoven's late quartets.

Today, we think

about what Eliot might have meant.

We begin with Beethoven's Opus 131,

said to be his personal favorite.

It has seven movements,

at a time when the standard was four.

And they're all connected. You're

not allowed to stop between movements.

No resting, no tuning.

Beethoven insisted it be played attacca,

without pause.

Was he maybe trying to point out

some cohesion, some unity between...

Excuse me.

MAN:
...the random acts of life?

Or being deaf, alone,

and sensing the end,

he might have felt he had no time,

to pause, to take a breath.

For us, it means

that playing for so long without pause,

our instruments must

in time go out of tune,

each in its own quite different way.

It's a mess.

What are we supposed to do, stop?

Or, struggle, to continuously adjust

to each other up to the end,

even if we are out of tune?

I don't know.

Let's find out.

(PHONE RINGING)

(RINGING)

That was quick.

(WOMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY

OVER PHONE)

- (CHUCKLES)

- (CLICKS MOUSE)

All right, hold on a sec.

Hong Kong on the second and fourth.

Shanghai on the 13th.

Let me double-check

with everybody first.

MAN:
Toast, if I may.

I've missed you this pre-season break.

The past year has been difficult,

as you know.

Miriam would have been here

with us today, celebrating...

Peter, she's always here.

It's a year in three weeks.

But the music, the quartet, us together

have gotten me through it,

and I need to thank you and tip a glass

to our... Can it be 25 seasons together?

- To the Fugue.

- To the Fugue.

The Fugue.

Alexandra tells me

your class really rocks.

Really? When did you speak with her?

MAN 2:
This afternoon.

PETER:
She's very good.

Advanced, quick.

- You should be pleased.

- That's my girl.

She really hardly ever plays

for us anymore.

PETER:
Let's hope she does

now that she's back from Curtis.

But to be first violin...

...she needs particular,

careful coaching.

In fact, Daniel,

I wonder if you'd give her a listen.

Tell her what you think, encourage.

I'll give her a listen. If you want to.

Sure, that'd be great.

- Shall we?

- All right, yes.

Ready?

You know, maybe this is the season

we play the Beethoven cycle... by heart.

- I've always liked that idea.

- I still think it's a gimmick.

I think playing the cycle

without these endless markings

would be exciting

and a worthwhile risk.

A risk?

A risk.

We're in the casino business now,

Robert?

These, these markings

represent layers of thought.

I tend to agree with Daniel.

Tie goes to the conservatives, I guess.

(TUNING INSTRUMENTS)

(PLAYING SLOW,

MELANCHOLY MELODY)

(OTHERS STOP PLAYING)

Our vibrato doesn't match.

I must be on vacation time still.

(CHUCKLES)

- From the top, once more please.

- OK.

- Let's do it from, from Juliette.

- Sure.

(MELANCHOLY MELODY RESUMES)

(MUSIC STOPS)

- I'm sorry, my mind's wandering.

- It's the cello.

Sorry, guys. I'm not myself.

Maybe a day or two, get my hands back.

- That's all right.

- Sure.

Let's reschedule?

- Reschedule.

- ROBERT:
Next Tuesday.

You all right, Peter?

Sure. It's just... strange.

Put your hands out like this.

(INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENTS

OVER PA)

OK. Now close the right fist,

and open it.

Left fist. Open it.

Now do it fast.

Open, shut. Open, shut.

All right.

OK. Now, just stand.

Now walk to the end of the room,

to the door, and then walk back,

naturally, towards me.

OK.

OK. I think we should get

a blood sample,

and arrange for a MRI.

Why don't we meet in a week

when we should have all the results?

MRI? Is there something I should know.

I think we should run the test first.

You could tell me what you think,

even if you're not certain.

It's OK. We've known

each other a long time.

Well?

Well, based on the examination

that we just ran,

and the complaints

you've described to me,

it's my opinion

that you are experiencing

the early symptoms of Parkinson's.

Well, you know...

From this, from what we just did,

you can tell that?

- Yes. I'm afraid I can.

- Parkinson's?

But we should still run

the blood test and have the MRI,

just to rule out

any more adverse possibilities.

Wow.

(KETTLE WHISTLING)

(LIVELY, ANIMATED

STRING QUARTET MUSIC PLAYING)

(PLAYFULLY) The aroma...

(WHISPERS) Wake up.

I'll make it worth your while.

(MUMBLING)

What about if I talked

in a really bad French accent?

Oui oui?

- Please, I'm not...

- Lover?

Robert. Robert, please.

I'm really... I'm not...

I'm really not in the mood.

(PLAYING SLOW,

MELANCHOLY MELODY)

OK. It's an adagio, right?

Slower, please.

(VOCALIZING MELODY)

The bow goes into the string and out.

You have to feel the resistance,

then the release afterwards.

That's what I'm trying to do.

- Without intention.

- What do you mean without intention?

This fugue is a tremendous...

it's an emotional upheaval,

and I don't hear it.

The color must be dark, always. Again.

Vibrato. From the first note.

Mm-hm.

It's a prayer, Alexandra.

Can you let me play one bar?

I don't think

you're ready for this piece.

In class, everybody was very happy

with my performance.

That's fantastic.

Peter was too.

Why does he open with a slow fugue?

Beethoven, that is.

I don't know.

If you insist on tackling

the 131 prematurely,

at least read

his biography first. Right?

Try to get into his mind.

Did you know his father used to wake

him up in the middle of the night

to play for his drunken cronies?

Imagine the mark

that leaves on you. May I?

L---

(PLAYING BRIGHT, LYRICAL MELODY)

(UP-TEMPO, BUOYAN ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(UP-TEMPO, BUOYAN ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYING)

Pilar.

Hello, Robert.

- Long time no see.

- Yeah.

What've you been up to?

Practicing for my new show,

remember? We start Thursday.

You've got to come this time.

I'll put your name on the guest list.

OK.

I loved the Bartok quartet

you recommended.

The Fifth? Explosive.

Hold on,

hold on a second.

- You liked it?

- Yeah.

I could choreograph a piece to it.

The next step is the...

Shostakovich cycle.

- You up for it?

- Yeah.

It's all on here.

Listen to it while you run.

What are you playing

on this one?

Second violin. Always, that's my part.

Always?

Yeah. Well, without me

they'd be a lonely, frustrated trio.

Seriously, the second and first violin

aren't hierarchical,

they're just different roles.

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