Joie, joie and more joie. The men of the Debussy String Quartet delivered thrilling and joyous playing in their recent Utzon Room recital.
Established in 1990 – their sound is bright and deep. Their rendition of the Shostakovich elegy from Two Pieces Opus 36a (1931) was hushed and poignant. The layers of sadness in this work were aching uttered with deep precision. This work seems to draw on the same folksong medication that Shostakovich explores in his opera, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (1934). Doubly sad that this remained the only opera of a quartet of planned operas, that Shostakovich finished. Stalin and Communism have a lot of answer for.
The Quartet, sans cellist, stood for the Shostakovich works – which seemed to bring extra energy and passion to their work. The Seventh Quartet Opus 108 from 1960 can be disarmingly simple. Its opening motif seems born from memories of some distant happiness (a sound world that the Leningrad Symphony – second movement – also inhabits).
The fluttering voices are soon however stilled by the strength of the attacca section. The yin and yang of remembered happiness and fierce pain seem to float across this tightly constructed work. The Quartet delivered its pizzicato questions with deep coordination. The fierce and bitter finale, which seems to bring forth that incredibly concentred anger, always within strong formal boundaries, that Shostakovich patented, was shocking, like an unfathomable rage.
The pale bittersweet conclusion to this movement’s demonic fugue seems to imply that the pulse of true feeling can defy all this. Yet the survival it sketches seems to bring only ambiguity and little joy.
This was richly nuanced playing, daring it its attack, firm in its tread. The tone of all four musicians was vibrant and soaring, with a particularly dusky sound from the viola (Vincent Deprecq) – and a large rich cello tone (Cédric Conchon) that was soulfully effective in its dark counterpoint with the violins. The soaring and searing sound of the two violinists (Christophe Collette and Marc Vieillefon) left the impression of strong technique harnessed to deep expression.
The Quartet reassembled for the Beethoven Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Opus 95, Quartetto Serioso (1810), all seated and now led by the Second Violin (Marc Vieillefon) with a deeply singing tone that drew crystalline beauty from the combined forces. They forcefully mapped the extensive counterpoint and wilfully embraced this music’s sudden surrender to silence – giving a dramatic sense to the intimidating, questioning gestures that Beethoven unleashes. The final larghetto was particularly warm and rounded, harnessing its benediction until the quartet plunged into the final agitato, all energy and concentrated power
In this recital, the deep musical connections between the rigour and curtness of Beethoven and the deep angst and beauty of Shostakovich were nicely established.
The final program offering in this rich recital was the Ravel String Quartet in F (1904). The luxurious astringency and poetry of this work was highlighted via its extraordinarily sprung scherzo – Assez Vif – and rapturous slow movement – Tres lent. These were given with joyous intent as though these experienced players were discovering this works startling innovation all over again. Some of these frissons were learnt from Borodin but given a makeover of subtle French vigour and élan. The long first movement with its fizzing frisson was nicely arced across it narrative.
This is a work that seems to hinge on pleasure and exhilaration, each string part given solo status and then integrated back into the greater whole. The ‘schwung’ of these players was intoxicating, but the sadness that sometimes flows beneath this work was also mapped. The finale was dazzling, truly Vif et agite.
The Debussy String Quartet deliver the complex with great clarity. They listen intently to each other and respond with shared passion and elegance. And what lovely smiles.
The distinctive sounds worlds of Ravel, Beethoven and Shostakovich were delivered with skill, brio, wit and deep sensitivity.
We then marvelled at their two encores. We were offered Hayden – Sonata No. 5 from the Seven Last Words of Christ – adapted for String Quartet in 1787. This beautiful and highly contrasted Adagio was forcefully played - Sitio (I thirst) – in A major. Like Shostakovich, this music was full of deceptive simplicity and beauty that summoned forth fierce passion.
Then followed a wonderful jazzy number – Blues in the night, I think. The deep bass notes of the cello summoned forth Stéphane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt and the Quintette du Hot Club de France. This was delicious warm, sexy music and filled the room with European jazz. Sophisticated, yes, but a lovingly rendered homage to that extraordinary intersection between French and American music that Ravel and Gershwin so intuitively understood.
The Gallic beauty of all this music making was truly inspiring.
Debussy Quartet – Utzon Room – Sydney Opera House, September 17, 2017
Gar Jones
Established in 1990 – their sound is bright and deep. Their rendition of the Shostakovich elegy from Two Pieces Opus 36a (1931) was hushed and poignant. The layers of sadness in this work were aching uttered with deep precision. This work seems to draw on the same folksong medication that Shostakovich explores in his opera, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (1934). Doubly sad that this remained the only opera of a quartet of planned operas, that Shostakovich finished. Stalin and Communism have a lot of answer for.
The Quartet, sans cellist, stood for the Shostakovich works – which seemed to bring extra energy and passion to their work. The Seventh Quartet Opus 108 from 1960 can be disarmingly simple. Its opening motif seems born from memories of some distant happiness (a sound world that the Leningrad Symphony – second movement – also inhabits).
The fluttering voices are soon however stilled by the strength of the attacca section. The yin and yang of remembered happiness and fierce pain seem to float across this tightly constructed work. The Quartet delivered its pizzicato questions with deep coordination. The fierce and bitter finale, which seems to bring forth that incredibly concentred anger, always within strong formal boundaries, that Shostakovich patented, was shocking, like an unfathomable rage.
The pale bittersweet conclusion to this movement’s demonic fugue seems to imply that the pulse of true feeling can defy all this. Yet the survival it sketches seems to bring only ambiguity and little joy.
This was richly nuanced playing, daring it its attack, firm in its tread. The tone of all four musicians was vibrant and soaring, with a particularly dusky sound from the viola (Vincent Deprecq) – and a large rich cello tone (Cédric Conchon) that was soulfully effective in its dark counterpoint with the violins. The soaring and searing sound of the two violinists (Christophe Collette and Marc Vieillefon) left the impression of strong technique harnessed to deep expression.
The Quartet reassembled for the Beethoven Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Opus 95, Quartetto Serioso (1810), all seated and now led by the Second Violin (Marc Vieillefon) with a deeply singing tone that drew crystalline beauty from the combined forces. They forcefully mapped the extensive counterpoint and wilfully embraced this music’s sudden surrender to silence – giving a dramatic sense to the intimidating, questioning gestures that Beethoven unleashes. The final larghetto was particularly warm and rounded, harnessing its benediction until the quartet plunged into the final agitato, all energy and concentrated power
In this recital, the deep musical connections between the rigour and curtness of Beethoven and the deep angst and beauty of Shostakovich were nicely established.
The final program offering in this rich recital was the Ravel String Quartet in F (1904). The luxurious astringency and poetry of this work was highlighted via its extraordinarily sprung scherzo – Assez Vif – and rapturous slow movement – Tres lent. These were given with joyous intent as though these experienced players were discovering this works startling innovation all over again. Some of these frissons were learnt from Borodin but given a makeover of subtle French vigour and élan. The long first movement with its fizzing frisson was nicely arced across it narrative.
This is a work that seems to hinge on pleasure and exhilaration, each string part given solo status and then integrated back into the greater whole. The ‘schwung’ of these players was intoxicating, but the sadness that sometimes flows beneath this work was also mapped. The finale was dazzling, truly Vif et agite.
The Debussy String Quartet deliver the complex with great clarity. They listen intently to each other and respond with shared passion and elegance. And what lovely smiles.
The distinctive sounds worlds of Ravel, Beethoven and Shostakovich were delivered with skill, brio, wit and deep sensitivity.
We then marvelled at their two encores. We were offered Hayden – Sonata No. 5 from the Seven Last Words of Christ – adapted for String Quartet in 1787. This beautiful and highly contrasted Adagio was forcefully played - Sitio (I thirst) – in A major. Like Shostakovich, this music was full of deceptive simplicity and beauty that summoned forth fierce passion.
Then followed a wonderful jazzy number – Blues in the night, I think. The deep bass notes of the cello summoned forth Stéphane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt and the Quintette du Hot Club de France. This was delicious warm, sexy music and filled the room with European jazz. Sophisticated, yes, but a lovingly rendered homage to that extraordinary intersection between French and American music that Ravel and Gershwin so intuitively understood.
The Gallic beauty of all this music making was truly inspiring.
Debussy Quartet – Utzon Room – Sydney Opera House, September 17, 2017
Gar Jones
