Haydn – String Quartet in G minor Op. 20 No. 4; Brahms – Piano Quintet in F minor Op. 34
This was a great concert. The Brahms was magnificently done with energy and passion. The third and first movements had a magnificent sweep, and the second a quiet thoughtfulness. The last – complex, jumpy, moody, an unrelenting outburst of intensity – was also very powerful. More than I usually do, I learned a lot by keeping my eyes open and looking at the interchange between the four players, particularly the way the first violin lifted herself up from the chair whenever she was playing something particularly passionate or lyrical and the way the 1st and 2nd violins worked together. I have heard this work but must listen to it again soon – it’s much more special than I had remembered. The Haydn too was very well played and enjoyable – like its partner the previous evening, it’s a product of his Sturm und Drang period, and is, again, quirky. It opens softly with some enigmatic phrases, followed by a violent outburst and follows up during the movement with unexpected pauses and a false recapitulation – altogether a difficult movement to ‘read’ emotionally. The slow movement is a rather sad theme and variations, touchingly done and the minuet is “alla zingarese” (in Gypsy style). The final Presto continues “scherzando” (jokingly) with “Gypsy” elements and with surprising harmonic and rhythmic twists, before disappearing suddenly in a whisper. All was brilliantly realised by the Quartet
John's musical journey 