REVIEW: Endellion Quartet at Stratford Music Festival

Peter Buckroyd reviews The Endellion String Quartet, Stratford Town Hall, 15th October

The Endellion String Quartet’s programme for the Stratford Music Festival perfectly illustrated the dramatic musical changes which occur as the 18th century turned into the 19th.

The first work was Mozart’s Quartet in B-flat major K458, ‘The Hunt’ in four distinct movements. Mozart provides what to modern ears are lots of possible endings to the first movement. There is a sense that it could go on for ever through its passing of melodies, rhythm and intonation from one instrument to the other. The most interesting parts are the transitions within movements where for a moment the listener is not sure where the piece is going next.

Haydn’s String Quartet in F Major Op 77, No 2 followed. There are more musical surprises here, in the trio, for example, which becomes increasingly scattered and fragmented before returning to the minuet theme, so oddly introduced by repeated cello notes. After the stately dance of the third movement for first violin and cello there is a sudden eruption into insistent tutti chords before the audience is teased by several possible endings and then surprised by the quiet reflective ending. The fourth movement is at a cracking pace but then it pauses momentarily for breath twice before everything fragments and the melodic pieces are gathered together again before a surprisingly succinct conclusion.

Beethoven’s String Quartet in C sharp minor, Op 131 takes us firmly into the 19th century. Instead of four distinct movements Beethoven numbers seven but they are linked together by brilliant transitions. There are musical threads which run throughout the piece and a sense that there is all the time in the world to explore in the first two movements. After the ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ third movement each of the six variations in the fourth is doing something quite different with extraordinarily innovative use of instruments and form, moving rapidly from one musical idea to another. For me the highlight of the evening was the glorious harmonious contemplative adagio which moves straight into the staccato attacks and lyricism of the allegro with its abrupt pauses and sudden surprising changes of key. It is a new world which Beethoven is characterising in this late quartet.

The playing was stunning throughout the programme.

See www.stratfordmusicfestival.com for more events.