THE KENDALL QUARTET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19803, 31 May 1926, Page 5

THE KENDALL QUARTET.

The second concert given by the Kendall String Quartet on Saturday night in Burns Hall was in every respect quite equal in merit to that given two nights previously. On the second occasion the works of Mozart and Tschaikowsky were drawn upon to supply the needs of those who delight in what is lofty ?n music, while three very attractive little compositions were provided for those whose taste lies in the direction of a simpler style of composition. It was a well-chosen programme, and certain to meet with the desires of all. The playing was of the same high order as that of Thursday evening, and the treatment of what was played was artistic in the extreme. The four ladies constituting the quartet form a very strong musical combination in which no weak point can be detected. The leader is. of course, Miss Kendall, but Miss Dorothy Brook, Miss Dorothy Jones, and Miss Edith Hanson give unmistakable proof of possessing very high musical qualifications. In point of merit the quartet is very evenly balanced, each player being complete mistress of the instrument of her choice.

Miss Kendall again followed what is apparently a regular course, and that is to preface each item with a few explanatory remarks. Speaking of Mozart she said he was a courtier and spent the greater part of his life in courts. That would make for culture, finish, and polish. It would make him extremely witty and quick, and his music was inclined to be worldly and a little superficial. But he left beauty of phrasing if anyone looked below the surface, and had his deeper feelings. That was found in the slower movement of the quartet about to be played. A good deal of his music was “chatter,” and her idea was that he might have borne in mind the court ladies. The selection played was Mozart's quartet in B Flat, of which the four movements were given. In the_ opening movement—allegro vivace assai—Miss Kendall had a good deal, of responsibility thrown upon her as leading violinist. The allegro was delightfully played and was given with precision and fine effect. The menuetto trio, a much more stately movement, had grace and dignity imparted to it. The movement is a very beautiful one. and its beauty was entirely preserved by the quartet party. The adagio was played in finished style. It was by no means mere accuracy of production that formed its chief attraction. Accuracy is always present in the playing of the quartet, but there is* much more than that required to reach the height these four instrumentalists do. There is the artistic finish to be attained, and , that is by no means a conspicuous quantity in much of the music that is played from time to time. The closing movement of the quartet was the allegro assai, and this was brilliantly performed. The next composer’s work to be exploited was Tschaikowsky’s, the selected item being his string quartet in D. op. 11. Referring to the work to be played. Miss Kendall stated that Tschaikowsky had experienced some difficulty in getting a suitable theme for one movement. She referred to the extraordinary rhythmic sense of Russian composers, and said that* the contrast was marked all through the composition It ,was a typical conception of Russian character. The quartet opened with a moderate e semplice which was played with excellent effect The andante cantabile, perhaps the most beautiful of the four movements, was exquisitely played Nothing more tasteful was heard during the evening. The allegro non tan to e con fuoco was given with great animation, and a very fine performance closed with the allegro guisto. equally well performed The audience insisted on a reappearance, and the andante, played with muted strings, was repeated The quartet then engaged in something written in lighter vein, and played “The Enchanted Lake” and “Robin Goodfellow,” by Alec. Rowley, and “Sir Roger do Coverley,” by Frank Bridge. The remaining concert of the season will be given this evening