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One
Sunday in London (17
February 2003, Blackheath Halls, South Bank Centre & The Barbican)
Live music enthusiasts are spoilt for choice and addicts can readily over-reach themselves in England's capital city. Musical Pointers welcomes writers to share the burden. After breakfast, first to Blackheath Halls (as Samuel Pepys might say) for the Dante Quartet's first recital in their Rubbra quartets cycle, each programme featuring also one of the great French quartets; Franck's first. On tremendous form at 11.30, led unobtrusively by Krysia Osostowicz, unanimity of ensemble, intonation and tonal balance were impeccable throughout the long morning. The Dante's account of Mozart's Hoffmeister Quartet K499 held me entranced from its first phrase. Since the wall-to-wall Mozart in his bicentenary year, I have found it wise to limit exposure to this unquestioned genius; over-familiarity can dull receptivity. Edmund Rubbra's quartets are tonal but less conservative than they first appear - he was an independent original who injected new life into familiar forms, form guided by content and its contrapuntal elaboration. The first of the four had two grand sonorous movements followed by a crisp little finale which left you keen to hear the others (listen to it on the Dante Quartet's excellent website ). Franck's monumental Quartet, dating from his last year ("what a monster" said my neighbour) took us to 1.45 and was a heavy last course before lunch. A rarity in UK, one that this quartet (influenced by its French cellist?) cherishes, as too have I since buying its first recording - my ancient Eulenburg score notes the numerous side changes on the Lowengurth 78 r.p.m. discs, long lost. ('Gramofile' reviews shows no recordings currently available, though there have been many of the Piano Quintet.) Franck's quartet is beautiful, no question, and was beautifully played, but its exhaustive working out of material brought to mind the heavenly lengths of Schubert and Bruckner, and on this occasion entranced me less than previously, the latter movements outstaying their welcome. The mercurial scherzo is a sheer winner, which could be an encore favourite; perhaps in this concert the interval should have been taken sacrilegiously in the middle of this work, as one might do listening to it on records at home? On to South Bank for two unmissable simultaneous events, so a little sharing between the Purcell Room and Queen Elizabeth Hall. It was good to have an opportunity to confirm in mixed repertoire yesterday's good impression of Christian Immler formed in Christa Ludwig's Master Classes. With his sympathetic partner Silvia Frazer he took part in the Park Lane Group's Jennie Tourel 30th Anniversary concerts, giving unusual songs from her repertoire (Bach, Barber & Bernstein) together with Mahler lieder and Ravel's Don Quichotte songs composed for a film. A fine singer with a winning voice and manner, promising a notable career. Leonard Bernstein's So Pretty, about slaughter of orientals, was pertinent the day after the massive anti-war rallies world wide - "They must die for Peace, you understand? I don't understand". Across the foyer to hear Imogen Cooper teach Schubert's C minor Sonata D958 in her Master Class. The Chinese born Chenyin Li, a prizewinning student at the Guildhall School in London, had the work thoroughly assimilated in her brain and steely fingers and, without a score at hand to consult, was able to take on board suggestions to improve her interpretation and debate these with Imogen Cooper, who focused closely upon the smallest marks which Schubert had made on paper. They tried things out on the two, rather different, pianos - "no one piano can meet all Schubert's needs in this sonata" - and we all were left with a great deal to ponder about this complex, challenging and great work. Finally, on to The Barbican for Sir Colin Davis making his latest recordings of Harold in Italy and the Fantastic Symphony (my catalogue has his earlier accounts of the symphony with the Concertgebouw, Vienna Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestras, and Harold with LSO & Imai). Tabea Zimmermann was the mellifluous violist and I was pleased to confirm that Berlioz's balancing of solo viola with large orchestra was carefully conceived and sounded ideal in the live situation; no need to enhance it more than minimally (to compensate for not being able to See as well as Hear) in the broadcast and LSO Live CD - for which pleasures I deferred listening to the symphony - replete at the end of a long day, tired but well nourished. PGW The Dante Quartet's generously filled CD of Rubbra (Quartets Nos 1 & 3, and Cello Sonata with Michael Dussek (piano) is on DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7123 **** |