If I want to know if a cellist is meeting the requirements for good quartet playing, I don’t think about how I would play the part. I imagine how David Soyer would have played it.
As a very young cellist I first became aware of the magic of great string quartet playing by listening to the Guarneri Quartet’s recordings of the Beethoven Quartets. Like everyone, I was seduced by the perfect ensemble, the luscious tone, and the utterly convincing musicianship. But it wasn’t until I started playing quartets many years later that I learned how many of those qualities, in the Guarneri Quartet, came from the bottom up.
David Soyer was not only a great cellist, musician and teacher; he was also a keen analyst of everything that went into playing the instrument, both in and out of an ensemble. It was David who taught my quartet the basic principle of playing together, rather than following a leader. This was in 1980, my first season in the quartet, when we exchanged the most expensive bottle of scotch we could afford for a couple of hours of coaching from David on Beethoven’s Opus 127. We were attempting to get the first chords perfectly together, and asked him for help on how to follow each other. His answer was both simple and revelatory: if you only follow, you will inevitably be behind – you must lead together with the same motions, strike the string in the same way, at the same time, and then you will be truly together. It is something that we have never forgotten, a concept that we have passed along in all our teaching.
As we said goodbye and thank you that day, we watched David head down the hallway towards the elevator. Just before he got in, he turned back to us, and in a commanding voice said: “David! Play louder! All the time!” This is also something I have never forgotten, possibly to the dismay of my colleagues.
David’s handling of the cello in the quartet was something of an inexplicable phenomenon. Although he never appeared to be straining, he made an absolutely enormous sound on any cello that was put in his hands. That sound, so particular to him, had extraordinary depth and richness that made it never offensive or grating on the ear, but rather supporting the ensemble with a miles-deep foundation that you felt would never give way. The other signature contribution that David made to any ensemble was his incredibly natural articulation, which stabilized the group from the below, allowing his colleagues the freedom to sing seamless lines without fear of losing their moorings.
The other great quartet cellist in my life may well have influenced David as well: Mischa Schneider of the Budapest Quartet. Mischa was a larger-than-life person and musician, and his sound, even on the scratchiest old recordings, comes through as the defining voice of the Budapest. Both David and Mischa shared something in common: their speaking voices boomed with the same resonance as their cellos. I always wonder: if I could sing another octave lower, might I sound as good as they?
As a bonus to all that I learned about playing the cello from David came his friendship. There was never an encounter with him where he was anything but enthusiastic, warm, fun-loving, eager to share experiences, and above all, supportive. I know that I share with many cellists the now-treasured memories of his distinctive voice, his unforgettable personality, and his loyal friendship.
Dear David, I love what you wrote! It is amazing that I hear all what you talk about in the Emerson’s playing. My group was never fortunate enough to have coached with him but you and your colleagues have passed on to us a tremendous legacy of David Soyer’s teachings. I feel that, indirectly, we were touched by David Soyer’s knowledge and wisdom from the hands of the Emerson quartet. In our group, the practice of becoming group-leaders versus individual-followers and the concepts of solid articulation in which melody can glide freely are evident influences from the Emerson Quartet and David Soyer. May he rest in peace, and be remembered as one the world best chamber musicians that ever existed. Thanks for writing this blog!
Luis (Euclid Quartet)
David Soyer was my cousin (second cousin, actually; our grandfathers were brothers), and my role model as an artist and a professional. Growing up, watching him do everything you can do with a cello with the same level of devotion, whether he was playing Schubert or a commercial jingle, or working as a studio musician, I learned that you can make a life as an artist if you don’t fool around, if you show up for work, and if you find the Muse in yourself, without waiting for inspiration or a revelation from above. And you can remain a mensch – a kind and honorable and responsible human being – as he always did. I will miss his presence in the world.
Mr. Finckel:
I’ve enjoyed many of your posts and videos and had to comment on this wonderful piece. In my student orchestra, (I’m a conductor and cellist) I call this quality of playing together through leadership “followship.”
BTW , as evidence of life here in the hinterlands, I heard Wu Han in Crossville, TN last year with Chamber Music Society… Fred Sherry and the awesome clarinetist Jose Franch-Ballester.
I admire you both.
Dan Allcott
I was shocked to hear of David’s passing. Not too long ago Orlando Cole passed away as well and I worked with both of them. I especially remember the afternoon I spent at David’s apartment in Philly. He really worked with me that day and for close to 3 hours which was way above and beyond the call of duty, especially since I wasn’t even a student of his. He was direct and sometimes blunt, but what I learned, I digested for weeks afterwards. He loved cats, and they were everywhere around us that afternoon. Being a cat lover as well, I was delighted to pay attention to his cats in quick moments during that afternoon. He had a way with words….he didn’t like the way I used vibrato sometimes. “one whopping western note, followed by four Chinese” was one example I remember. It would have been even funnier if it hadn’t been true!
I will always remember him. We stayed in touch for a few years afterwards and I was always moved by how he always would talk to me and I only played for him three times. I hope he rests in peace.