»performing with the imagination of the whole«

Rudolf Kolisch und das Pro Arte Quartett

Abstract

This article examines Rudolf Kolisch’s contribution to the performance theory of the Vienna School, with a particular focus on his theoretical and practical approaches to the interpretation of Beethoven’s string quartets. Kolisch emphasised the close connection between structural analysis and its practical application in performance, highlighting the importance of a faithful rendition through a precise reading of the score. Using a recording of the first movement of Beethoven’s Op. 127 with the Pro Arte Quartet (1946), the article analyses Kolisch’s tempo design, which is characterised by formal clarity and agogic differentiation between Maestoso and Allegro sections. The study demonstrates how Kolisch’s concept of “performing with the imagination of the whole” aims for an objective yet expressive interpretation that distinguishes itself from subjective stylisations.