★★★★★
THE Armida Quartet warmed up for its BBC proms and Radio 3 appearances with an engaging concert at Glynde.
The tightly knit Berlin foursome captured the troubled soul of Schubert’s lyrical and introspective String Quartet Number 13.
Schubert was not in the best spirits when he wrote this and the quartet movingly rendered his melancholic moments. With a light, sensitive touch the musicians also extracted the occasional joy of the piece – a fine contrast to the misery otherwise witnessed. The high point was a graceful second movement in which every note rang outclearly, capturing its pastoral and melodic beauty.
Dvorak was in a sunnier mood when he finished his complex Quartet Number 14, and the ensemble looked as if everyone thoroughly enjoyed playing this more upbeat and driving piece.
Behind the quartet throughout was the gentle powerhouse of Peter-Philipp Staemmler’s creamy yet subtle cello. The opulent surroundings seemed to bring out his marvellous playing, complemented by the sweet yet urgent violins of Johanna Staemmler, Martin Funda and the calmer tones of Teresa Schwamm’s viola. As a fitting finale to a fine concert, the quartet found a dazzling intensity in the last part of the fourth movement.
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