Haydn, Shostakovich, Dvořák:  Škampa Quartet, Wigmore Hall, London, 1.03. 2007 (CC)

 

There is little doubt that the Škampa quartet is a dynamic force in the contemporary string quartet world. In 2004 I felt them to be mightily impressive, and much of this concert confirmed this impression. Yet there was a problem – the very first piece, Haydn's Quartet in D, Op. 76/5 of 1797. Prior to this, I had not heard the Škampa in any music composed earlier than Dvořák, and expectations were high. Mistakenly, it turned out.

 

Given her excellence later in the concert, looking back it seems strange that the second violinist, Jana Lukášová, was so reticent. Exchanges between the two violins were distinctly biased towards the first player (Pavel Fischer). The actual choice of work was a fine one, as this quartet's first movement offers an intruguing mix of variation form with sonata form. Fischer has the agility required for the first violin's part but, at least in the first movement, his tone was also offputtingly harsh.

 

The second movement, a 'Largo' marked cantabile e mesto was described by Misha Donat in his programme notes as 'radiant' and 'autumnal'. It was neither. It had good points – a nice suggestion of a held breath at one point and some disconcerting vibrato-free sustained notes – but these were not enough to compensate for the feeling of discomfort the players emanated. If the finale had plenty of charge to it and the cello quavers in the third movement's Trio were well arictulated by Lukáš Polák, this remained distinctly disheartening Haydn.

Shostakovich's Third Quartet (chronologically composed just after the Ninth Symphony) seemed to wake up the players' sense of adventure. Sliding gestures were delivered with zest; the relentless tread of the first Scherzo and the hammer-like heaviness of the second injected new life into the evening. Most impressive of all, though, was the finale with its intense viola song (courtesy of the excellent Radim Sedmidubský) and dark contrasts. The climax was positively dizzying.It was something of a relief to hear the quartet back on form …

 

Dvořák's A major Piano Quintet, Op. 81 meant that the quartet was joined by Kathryn Stott, a pianist of great musicality (not to mention reliability). The account was a triumph of Anglo-Czech relations. Only the layout was a major cause for concern. With three-quarters of the quartet standing, there is the distinct impression that this was a piece for strings with piano accompaniment.

Dvořák's work encompasses a wide emotional remit, from expansively lyrical (the winningly-inflected cello theme of the opening, for example) to more overt extroversion. Stott was fleet of finger (she needed to be!) but had strength, too, while the piano opening of the Dumka was superbly articulated. At last things seemed to have clicked into place, with burnished viola solos and a wonderfully alive fugato in the finale (which also included a memorable moment of reflection).

A reminder, then, that the Škampa Quartet on home turf is a force to be reckoned with.

 

 

Colin Clarke