Wihan Quartet at St George's in Bristol - Concert Review
Posted on: 2015-02-23
Our rating:
The Wihan Quartet is celebrating 30 years in 2015, and has a superlative reputation for interpretations of music from its Czech heritage. Their line-up of compositions is deliciously invigorating and the musicianship truly raises the bar.
Sundays are usually the dominion of lazy lie-ins and late breakfasts, but if there's one good reason to throw back the covers and leap out of bed it's for St George's Sunday Series concerts - which played host to the fantastic Wihan Quartet on Sunday 22 February 2015.
The quartet launched the venue's series with its programme of challenging pieces by two of the undisputed giants of classical music and formidable compositions for the string quartet repertoire - Dvorak's plaintive and nostalgic 'American', and Schubert's tense, fiery and dramatic 'Death and the Maiden'.
The Wihan Quartet is celebrating 30 years in 2015, and has long established a superlative reputation for interpretations of music from its Czech heritage, as well as as an impressive catalogue of modern, classical and romantic pieces for the string repertoire. They've won many international competitions and had praise heaped on them in glorious abundance, even being cited by International Record Review as 'one of the best quartets in the world today.'
Dvorak's 'American' Strong Quartet got the concert off to a splendidly, wistfully nostalgic start, its Allegro opening alternatively brisk, whimsical and reflective, while the Lento had a yearning, emotional resonance that brought out the intricacies and subtleties of the players' performance. Back in to the action saddle with the vibrant and infectiously animated Molto Vivace, while the final Vivace was a delightfully zesty, chirpy six minutes culminating in a grin-inducing finale chord sequence that wrapped it all up with impeccable finesse.
Schubert's Death and the Maiden is irrefutably one of the pillars of the string quartet repertoire. The composer was suffering a serious illness and knew he was dying when he composed it and is therefore a kind of personal requiem, a musical 'in memoriam' and testament to Schubert's death. It's certainly a powerful work, from its bold, stridently defiant opening notes, its gut-wrenchingly heartfelt Andante, its declamatory Scherzo, and impassioned, vivacious Allegro.
Like St George's regular late night concerts, the Sunday programmes only last just over an hour but represent the finest playing by some of the most exciting ensembles in the world. Their line-up of compositions is deliciously invigorating and the musicianship - as with the Wihan Quartet's outstanding recital - truly raises the bar for other classical concerts across the country.
Relatively short, sweet and musically enriching, they lure you in, tantalise and tease you, leave you breathless with the programme itself but leave you itching for more. And as the old stage aphorism goes: Always leave them wanting more.
Outstanding.
5/5
Reviewed by Jamie Caddick for 365Bristol - the leading events and entertainment website for Bristol
Article by:
Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.
