SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

SEEN AND HEARD UK CONCERT REVIEW

Schubert: Brentano Quartet  - Mark Steinberg – Serena Canin (violins), Misha Amory (viola), Nina Lee (cello) -  Wigmore Hall, London, 15.3.2010 (BBr)

Schubert: String Quartet in G, D887 (1826)

 

My love affair with Schuberts late masterpieces deepens every time I hear one of these works of “heavenly length” and a performance of this stature only serves to intensify my feelings. This Sunday Morning Coffee concert was exactly how we should hear this music, unfettered by anything else musical, Schubert being firmly centre stage with all our attention focused on his work.

The Brentano Quartet (named after Antoine Brentano, whom many scholars believe to be Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved”) was formed in 1992 in New York and their time together bore fruit this morning.

Conceived on a large scale this Quartet isn't one of Schubert's protests against the world, and even though it contains a big finale it isn't one of his Totentanz inspirations. The first movement was full of expectation and nervous tension which was handled well, the players only gradually allowing the music to open up into a full blown argument: and when it did we were treated to some very forceful and direct playing, which was exactly right for the music. This is Schubert railing against the world and not accepting his lot. It's a long movement and the Brentanos held it together perfectly and brought out all the pathos and unrequited passion of the piece. The ensuing slow movement was generally serene and contained some gorgeous sustained playing. The scherzo seemed too small for the Brentanos overall view of the work, but when they unleashed the finale on us, their approach to the scherzo seemed just right. The final movement is not one of Schubert's pell–mell pieces where all his anger and frustration rises to the surface, but is one in which he seems more resigned to his fate than is usual at this time in his life. There was a restraint to this performance which brought about an ending of satisfaction and rightness.

 

As an interpretation this was second to none and as a performance it ranks as one of the best performances of late Schubert I have ever heard. What is more, the playing was of such stature, and the interpretation of such insight, that one didn't want any more, nor could one have stood it.

 

Bob Briggs