Back to ListAcclaim
Tokyo flawless right to the finale
Early though it is in the season, it does not take a crystal ball to predict that yesterday afternoon's chamber recital in the Auditorium of the National Gallery will prove one of the most memorable events of the fall.
In fact, one didn't need a crystal ball to know in advance that it was likely to be a very special program: the Tokyo String Quartet, one of the world's finest chamber ensembles, playing Webern, Haydn and Brahms. What could be more promising?
How about the Tokyos along with Pinchas Zukerman and Amanda Forsyth playing the Brahms Sextet, Op. 36? "Promising" is too mild a word.
The gallery auditorium sold out well before the concert and its promise was far from empty. The performance was outstanding in every way. Every movement was special in its own fashion, but also dovetailed perfectly with every other Movement.
At times, the music was close to magical, particularly in the Adagio where one could only wonder at the exquisite joys the musicians found within the notes. The finale was also remarkable for the Mendelssohnian feeling of some of its sections.
The entire performance was a model of focus and moderation, and gripping from the first measure to the last.
Those qualities also marked the Tokyo Quartet's account of Haydn's Quartet in B-flat, the first of his Opus 50 set. The precision, poise and spirit of the first movement could hardly have been bettered.
The slow movement was elegant and eloquent in equal measures, and entirely beautiful. The third movement, the Menuetto, somehow managed to be robust, especially in the Trio, and delicate at the same time.
At first it seemed that the finale was going to be a disappointment. It was taken at an unusually fast clip and gave the initial impression of being cursory. That impression only lasted for two or three phrases, however. Such was the intelligence and accuracy of the playing that once the ear became accustomed to the tempo, everything fell into place brilliantly.
The Brahms and Haydn were the two major works on the program, but things actually got under way with a piece that, while small in scale, offers some of the most concentrated musical expression ever penned.
Webern's String Quartet, op. 28, is a tough nut for many listeners to crack, like all of his mature music. But the Tokyo players most likely won the composer a few new friends with the lucidity and conviction of their interpretation.
In fact, one didn't need a crystal ball to know in advance that it was likely to be a very special program: the Tokyo String Quartet, one of the world's finest chamber ensembles, playing Webern, Haydn and Brahms. What could be more promising?
How about the Tokyos along with Pinchas Zukerman and Amanda Forsyth playing the Brahms Sextet, Op. 36? "Promising" is too mild a word.
The gallery auditorium sold out well before the concert and its promise was far from empty. The performance was outstanding in every way. Every movement was special in its own fashion, but also dovetailed perfectly with every other Movement.
At times, the music was close to magical, particularly in the Adagio where one could only wonder at the exquisite joys the musicians found within the notes. The finale was also remarkable for the Mendelssohnian feeling of some of its sections.
The entire performance was a model of focus and moderation, and gripping from the first measure to the last.
Those qualities also marked the Tokyo Quartet's account of Haydn's Quartet in B-flat, the first of his Opus 50 set. The precision, poise and spirit of the first movement could hardly have been bettered.
The slow movement was elegant and eloquent in equal measures, and entirely beautiful. The third movement, the Menuetto, somehow managed to be robust, especially in the Trio, and delicate at the same time.
At first it seemed that the finale was going to be a disappointment. It was taken at an unusually fast clip and gave the initial impression of being cursory. That impression only lasted for two or three phrases, however. Such was the intelligence and accuracy of the playing that once the ear became accustomed to the tempo, everything fell into place brilliantly.
The Brahms and Haydn were the two major works on the program, but things actually got under way with a piece that, while small in scale, offers some of the most concentrated musical expression ever penned.
Webern's String Quartet, op. 28, is a tough nut for many listeners to crack, like all of his mature music. But the Tokyo players most likely won the composer a few new friends with the lucidity and conviction of their interpretation.
— Richard Todd,
The Ottawa Citizen
