Splendid Playing By Soviet Quartet

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31660, 22 April 1968, Page 12

Splendid Playing By Soviet Quartet

From the moment the Boro-1 din String Quartet began to play, right through to the end of its concert on Saturday for the Christchurch Chamber Music Society, it was obvious that it was a group whose technical mastery and artistic understanding was of the highest order. The members are Rotislav Dubinski, Yaroslav Alexandrov, Dmitri Shebalin and Valentin Berlinsky.

The first work was Borodin’s String Quartet No. 1 in A major, which began with gentle sounds whose tonal quality had a magical attraction demanding close attention to all that these players would have to say to us. This slow beginning was by way of introduction, and the main theme unfolded with calm and pastoral flow. No great amount of tone was called for, but the carrying quality of the sound had rich and bright timbre even at the softest levels. There was nothing great in the content of the | music, but it had an elfin grace and a cheerful out-of-doors atmosphere and gave full opportunity for enjoyment of the quintessential re:finement of the playing.

I The second movement was amiable conversation between (friends, and had a fugal section on a somewhat ominousI sounding subject, but it was not required to scale any heights. A scherzo flickered away merrily with a cheerful will-o-the-wisp chase and romp. It had a trio suggesting shapes half-seen through a lightly swirling mist. The last movement bad animation as of a peasants’ dance, with the odd moment taken off for reflection and refreshment. The work suggests that Borodin has used a polished urbanity to hide the fact that he had little that was momentous to say in it. Commentary On War In very different vein Shostakovich’s Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110, pulled unerringly at the heart strings. Inspired by the devastation and suffering caused by war, its quiet and groping beginning suggested a wasteland and had a premonition of further tragedy. With remarkably economical means it mourned the loss of all the finer graces that had enriched the countryside and the former life of the people there. A fast-moving section, with relentless forward sweep, brought an intensity of fear and danger. As this passed, a more light-hearted feeling held sway for a time although the background remained stark and threatening. A melody in the high register on the cello sang seraphically against a gentle filagree background. A strong unison passage, like a hymn tune, cast a dim light of foreboding and led to the final fugue which quietly summed up the passage of the whole work, ending with a lovely pianissimo section which, from a full heart, spoke of so much that could not be put into words. Janetta McStay joined the Borodin Quartet after the interval for a splendid performance of Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57.

| The first movement began on the piano in solemn and sonorous tone. Then a cool and glowing rivulet of melody flowed from the piano and was passed to the strings to be tossed to and fro in gay fashion for a while. More fierce sounds of stark intensity ended the movement, and then a charming and idyllic fugue began very quietly indeed. Its exposition by the strings made enchanting sounds. After the subject appeared in the piano part in low register, there followed an increased fervency of tone. The soft ending had the radiant glow of a halo. Right merry good cheer shot from the seherzo. This was good-humoured music with many a happy quirk simply but unmistakeably conveyed. The fourth movement began with a melody, soaring in lyric fashion from the first violin against pizzicato from the cello. The viola then joined in and the music came with a rarefied air which continued when the piano took over the accompaniment. This music—essentially sad—had the balm of consolation flowing through it continually. This was followed by a colourful and lively dance which also had a strange air of melancholy, and the whole work finished with a graceful and delicate rounding off. Miss McStay’s playing matched every mood of the string players and, with splendid balance, with elegant phrasing, and with apt use of colour and dynamics, she made full contribution to a memorable and delightful performance. —C.F.B.