|
CHAMBER MUSIC REVIEW
March 29, 2005
|
By Heuwell Tircuit
There are few experiences more satisfying than hearing a fine string quartet playing at the zenith of its potential. That's not as common an occurrence as one might think, especially if the ensemble is a relatively new one, but it is what the Calder Quartet achieved last Tuesday night at Herbst Theater. This was the Los-Angeles-based group's local debut; even amidst San Francisco Performances' on-going annual presentation of fine musical debuts, this was exceptional.
Founded originally only a few years ago, the Calder (Benjamin Jacobson and Andrew Bulbrook, violins; Jonathan Moerschel, viola; and Eric Byers, cello) has been drawing generally outstanding reviews in Los Angeles and elsewhere. On this occasion, the four rather young musicians were joined by the distinguished cellist Ronald Leonard, a longtime principal of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as well as a chamber musician and soloist. Playing in Schubert's great cello Quintet in C, D.958, he helped close the program that had featured just one other Schubert masterpiece, the Quartet in D Minor, D. 810, “Death and the Maiden.”
The ensemble, named though it is for the American sculptor Alexander Calder, best known for his mobiles, was very far from evoking a mobile in performance. There was nothing inderterminate or free-form about the playing, nothing left dangling in the breeze, only beautifully-focused playing faithful to the scores' letter and spirit both.
 Dynamics were subtly observed, and with pinpoint accuracy, by the individuals and in ensemble. They shifted repeatedly as the music moved along, but always as required for maximum expression. With just a rare exception, in the Quintet's finale, intonation was magnificent. After all, it's not enough for a musician to be in tune with himself; each string player must make exquisite adjustments with and in reaction to the general body. With four string players, that can be hideously difficult, doubtless one reason so much tension can arise among quartet musicians. (It's well known that the Budapest Quartet didn't like even sharing the same dressing room, and that when they had to, they all went to neutral corners.) Variety of color was remarkable. In the lyrical moments, velvet and satin sounds spun around the room as if this were some old-school European ensemble. When fire was called for, as in the finale of the Quartet, the effect was astounding, reaching nearly frightening levels of emotional violence.
Tempo selections were, to my ears, flawless. The architectural line was secure as everything moved toward its apex without hesitation, and it never turned rigid. On top of all that, the warmth of sound, perfectly blended, was such that you might well think they had been playing together since birth — that, instead of the traditional slap on the rear, the infants had been handed each a string instrument and ordered,”Play!” On the other hand, the fact that cellist Leonard has been coaching the Quartet for years as a faculty member at USC can have done no harm. I suspect his experience was a major influence. That superb slow movement of the Quintet received such a hushed, poised performance that seemed to levitate. The Calder deserved its ovation, but no encore was offered. On the other hand, what could one offer after that Quintet that would not be a letdown?
(Heuwell Tircuit, composer, performer and writer, was chief writer for Gramophone Japan and for 21 years a music reviewer for the SF Chronicle, previously for the Chicago American and Asahi Evening News.
|
