United Kingdom Edinburgh Worldwide Competition 2024 [9]: Takács Quartet (16.8), Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord, 17.8). Queen’s Corridor, Edinburgh, 16 & 17.8.2024. (SRT)
The chamber music world will be an unassuming place, however there’s star energy aplenty inside it, and it breezed into the Edinburgh Worldwide Competition on Friday morning with the arrival of the Takács Quartet (Edward Dusinberre, Harumi Rhodes [violins], Richard O’Neill [viola] and András Fejér [cello]). Not lots of the Queen’s Corridor morning live shows have bought in addition to this one, and the heat of their reception proved that these 4 musicians pack a mighty punch.
They performed Haydn’s Dawn Quartet with such straightforward grace that its first motion seemed like probably the most brazenly joyous factor Haydn ever wrote, and there’s a lot of competitors for that title! It was underpinned by a marvellously oaky richness, nonetheless: this was critical jollity, one thing you may also apply to the hymn-like solemnity of the gradual motion, and to the finale, which was filled with probably the most energetic politesse you can think about. Schubert’s remaining quartet was simply as sleek, if just a little curter within the opening motion, perhaps even barely cursory in locations. No ‘heavenly lengths’ right here. The gradual motion expanded with stunning lyricism, nonetheless, and the finale appeared able to go off the stage in its energetic velocity.
Gratifyingly, nonetheless, the center of this live performance was its most up-to-date work. Nokuthula Ngwenyama’s Stream, receiving its European premiere, was a gloriously upbeat celebration of life and constructive power, filled with superb melodies and superbly lyrical textures. Ngwenyama’s inspiration was nothing lower than the stream that binds the universe collectively and embodies its life drive. Little surprise it was so celebratory, due to this fact. Strains of music had been tossed round between devices, generally frantically, however all the time with a way of goal, and the opening motion fizzed, even palpitated in locations. Components of the music had been like snippets of birdsong, whereas others balanced stasis and motion, or appeared to type and dissolve earlier than your ears. This was a whole deal with, and I’m already hoping for the chance to listen to it once more.
I had heard sufficient from Mahan Esfahani by the point his live performance the next morning had completed, nonetheless. Don’t get me flawed: he’s nice at what he does, and his method is extraordinary. It was repeatedly on show throughout this virtuoso show of the baroque, starting from consistently various Fantasias from the Bach sons to units of Chaconnes and Variations that mutated organically like twists of the kaleidoscope. Esfahani usually wanted to supply swarms of notes that swirled round each other outrageously, however he articulated each individually with pinprick precision, and with a correct sense of structure in regards to the massive items, most notably Buxtehude’s variations on La Capricciosa. So all superb; it’s simply {that a} full morning of harpsichord turns into a bit a lot when all the things is from the identical interval. Esfahani performs a lot up to date music: why not leaven the feel with a few of that?
Worse, the general ambiance round this live performance was distinctly odd. The home windows had been blacked out and the corridor plunged into darkness save for one highlight on the harpsichord, focusing the eye on Esfahani and his instrument as if they had been holy relics to be approached in hushed awe, acutely aware that we as an viewers had been privileged. This wasn’t a lot over-inflated as downright foolish, and anyway the mawkishly reverential ambiance was torpedoed by the truth that the surtitle display above him was on the blink.
Aren’t we alleged to be previous all that? We’re much better off after we deal with this music and these artists as excellent examples of humanity quite than divinely bestowed icons.
Simon Thompson
The Edinburgh Worldwide Competition runs at venues throughout town till Sunday twenty fifth August. Click on right here for additional particulars.
16.8.2024 – Takács Quartet, Queen’s Corridor.
Haydn – String Quartet, Op.76 No.4 ‘Dawn’
Nokuthula Ngwenyama – Stream (European premiere)
Schubert – String Quartet in G D887
17.8.2024 – Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord), Queen’s Corridor.
WF Bach – Fantasia in E minor, F21
Handel – Chaconne in G, HWV 435 (HWV 1733)
Bach – Partita No.4 in D, BWV 828
Pachelbel – Chaconne in F minor
CPE Bach – Fantasia II in C, Wq 59/6
Buxtehude – La Capricciosa
