SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Schubert and Beethoven: Belcea Quartet (Corina Belcea-Fisher (violin), Laura Samuel (violin), Krzysztof Chorzelski (viola), Antoine Lederlin (cello)) Wigmore Hall, London, 10.6.2008 (BBr)

Franz Schubert: String Quartet in A minor, D804 (1824)
Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet in C sharp minor, op.131 (1825/1826)


Only a few weeks ago I was knocked out by a performance by this ensemble of Schubert’s Der Tod und das Madchen Quartet in this very hall and this evening they turned their attention to the quartet which immediately preceded it. A work of infinite melancholy, the Quartet in A minor is the first of Schubert’s works which exploit the heavenly length (Schumann’s description of the 9^th Symphony) which was to dominate so many of his later compositions as he wrote bigger and more powerful works on a very large scale.

The A minor Quartet is restrained almost to a fault. The music seldom raises its voice, being happy in its contemplation of the very means of music making. When it does increase in volume it is seldom for more than a few moments, and those moments truly disturb the forward momentum of the music. The lightness of feeling of the second movement – commencing with a quote from incidental music he had recently written for the play Rosamunde – and the quasi gypsy dance of the finale give some respite, but, in general, we are in a resigned mood throughout.

The Belcea Quartet understood Schubert’s state of mind at the time of composition and gave a performance of muted and understated understanding. Their approach was never forlorn for there was always hope in their performance and the players kept everything discreet, never raising their voices unless it was absolutely essential to do so, and when they did we certainly knew about it. This was Schubert playing of great understanding with love and care lavished on every bar.

Beethoven’s late Quartets are amongst the pinnacles of the quartet literature. It can sometimes be hard to understand the furore caused by some of these works at their premières as we have become inured to the dissonance or unusual forms used because of everything which has happened in the intervening years. However, if ever an early 19^th century work still has the power to shock, this quartet must be that work. Unlike Schubert’s Quartet,Beethoven’s is big and passionate, questioning and questing; Beethoven is opening new doors in his compositions, seeking new goals. The opening fugue, an astonishing movement by any standards, was played with consummate mastery by the quartet – it’s hard to keep this slow music moving without losing the thread of the argument – each strand of the discussion speaking firmly and clearly so that the texture created by the counterpoint was never muddied. The slow movement was likewise well handled, emotions held in check as the music gradually unfolded. The finale was wild and fiery; here the quartet really let go and it played for all it was worth, bringing this most fascinating of works to a thrilling conclusion.

What more can I say? I am seldom at a loss for words but with this performance I really am quite speechless and simply cannot find words which adequately describe what I heard. The music making was of such an high order and the sustained concentration of the players held the audience in thrall. The Belcea Quartet is, quite simply, one of the best quartets working today and their performances this evening were magnificent.

Bob Briggs


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