Concert: Australian String Quartet, Remembering Tomorrow
Date/Location: 26th February, 7PM: Elizabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre
The Australian String Quartet has had a chequered past to say the least. Most recently in late 2014, both its violinists left the group due to 'irreconcilable artistic differences' leaving the board scrambling to find replacement artists for the group's 30th Anniversary Year. Somewhat miserably, under the 'The Quartet' tab on the ASQ's website, there are only two names, those of Sharon Draper (Cello) and Stephen King (Viola), the two current permanent members. For this particular evening, violinists Wilma Smith and Cameron Hill were added to the mix filling the first and second violin positions respectively.
The evening began with a look to the group's past, performing Hayden's 3rd String Quartet ('The Emperor'), the first piece ever performed by the ASQ 30 years ago. The performance was well assured and exciting to listen to, the group careful to bring out its many contrasts as well as the more serious and lighter moments. A highlight, was the end of the second movement, so well executed and played, that the silence in the room after their bows stopped was so palpable, one almost felt like they could cut a block out of it. Despite this, intonation didn't quite always feel on the mark, taking the glow off an otherwise great start to the evening.
The second item, a new Australian commission by Ross Edwards, 'Gallipoli' was intended to mark the 100th Anniversary of the infamous Gallipoli landing. Having received its premier in Albany earlier this year, at the request of the composer, the work was performed in almost complete darkness, with a few small LED reading lights illuminating the music. The performers themselves were barely visible, but the darkness and the music provided a certain gravitas which couldn't be ignored. The writing seemed to be a very strong reflection on war and its various natures, and the composer cleverly used dissonance and techniques such as false harmonics to attain feelings of desolation and hopelessness, while also feeling oddly beautiful and peaceful. The ASQ seems to shine when it tackles soft passages, truly demonstrating the control and mastery each performer exhibits over their instrument. The careful and well prepared performance felt truly transcendent.
After an interval, the group continued down its proverbial and literal war path, with Shostakovich's 3rd Quartet. Written at a very troubled time for the Soviet Union (1946), particularly for artists, the writing is evocative as it is emotional. With many highs and lows, the ASQ delivered some truly gutsy and intense playing which proved to be very exciting. Again, the end proved a highlight, with the sustained F major chord providing a truly wonderful canvas for the first violin to disappear into. This was truly exceptional playing both technically and musically, again proven by the intensity of the following silence.
Intent on not leaving the evening on a somewhat tumultuous note, the group responded to the strong audience response with the 'Andante Cantabile' from Tchaikovsky 1st Quartet, which was beautifully delivered.
On the whole, I felt like my spontaneous decision to 'student rush' this concert paid off providing a thoroughly enjoyable evening. However, despite this, I felt the luster of the performance was slightly lost from a small but persistent nagging lack of cohesion in the group from a source which I honestly couldn't identify. Perhaps the group's past, coming back for a celebratory romp in it's 30th year.
Date/Location: 26th February, 7PM: Elizabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre
The Australian String Quartet has had a chequered past to say the least. Most recently in late 2014, both its violinists left the group due to 'irreconcilable artistic differences' leaving the board scrambling to find replacement artists for the group's 30th Anniversary Year. Somewhat miserably, under the 'The Quartet' tab on the ASQ's website, there are only two names, those of Sharon Draper (Cello) and Stephen King (Viola), the two current permanent members. For this particular evening, violinists Wilma Smith and Cameron Hill were added to the mix filling the first and second violin positions respectively.
The evening began with a look to the group's past, performing Hayden's 3rd String Quartet ('The Emperor'), the first piece ever performed by the ASQ 30 years ago. The performance was well assured and exciting to listen to, the group careful to bring out its many contrasts as well as the more serious and lighter moments. A highlight, was the end of the second movement, so well executed and played, that the silence in the room after their bows stopped was so palpable, one almost felt like they could cut a block out of it. Despite this, intonation didn't quite always feel on the mark, taking the glow off an otherwise great start to the evening.
The second item, a new Australian commission by Ross Edwards, 'Gallipoli' was intended to mark the 100th Anniversary of the infamous Gallipoli landing. Having received its premier in Albany earlier this year, at the request of the composer, the work was performed in almost complete darkness, with a few small LED reading lights illuminating the music. The performers themselves were barely visible, but the darkness and the music provided a certain gravitas which couldn't be ignored. The writing seemed to be a very strong reflection on war and its various natures, and the composer cleverly used dissonance and techniques such as false harmonics to attain feelings of desolation and hopelessness, while also feeling oddly beautiful and peaceful. The ASQ seems to shine when it tackles soft passages, truly demonstrating the control and mastery each performer exhibits over their instrument. The careful and well prepared performance felt truly transcendent.
After an interval, the group continued down its proverbial and literal war path, with Shostakovich's 3rd Quartet. Written at a very troubled time for the Soviet Union (1946), particularly for artists, the writing is evocative as it is emotional. With many highs and lows, the ASQ delivered some truly gutsy and intense playing which proved to be very exciting. Again, the end proved a highlight, with the sustained F major chord providing a truly wonderful canvas for the first violin to disappear into. This was truly exceptional playing both technically and musically, again proven by the intensity of the following silence.
Intent on not leaving the evening on a somewhat tumultuous note, the group responded to the strong audience response with the 'Andante Cantabile' from Tchaikovsky 1st Quartet, which was beautifully delivered.
On the whole, I felt like my spontaneous decision to 'student rush' this concert paid off providing a thoroughly enjoyable evening. However, despite this, I felt the luster of the performance was slightly lost from a small but persistent nagging lack of cohesion in the group from a source which I honestly couldn't identify. Perhaps the group's past, coming back for a celebratory romp in it's 30th year.