The Sacconi Quartet combined the music of traditional string quartets with more modern classical music. Bringing together the quality of a group who naturally feel the music, as a group they embraced the breadth and depth of the possibilities of stringed instruments. The variety of techniques associated with stringed instruments (pizzicato, strumming, full range bowing across the instruments’ registers, glissando, different uses of bow on strings) brought new insights into the versatility of the instruments and the players.
The programme began with C. A. Shaw’s Entr’acte – possibly using some of the tricks and turns of the Haydn. A deconstruction / reconstruction of the traditional and modern was engaging. The mixture of harmony and disharmony, frenetic pizzicato, haunting and ethereal music. The violin and viola players sat poised while the cello, harp like, brought a peaceful close to some frantic moments between pain, joy, stress and relief.
Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 64, No 2 in B minor showed how Haydn maximised use of a major key. It was more joyful than sad. It was reflective with both meditative and positive tunes playing back and forth. The quartet players interweaving with each other enable the audience to engage with their flow. The dance like nature of the Menuet and Trio moving into the final movement (presto) which balanced the questioning, then confident nature, providing an amusing ending.
Strum by J Montgomery was vibrant, energetic and frantic in places. Strum by name, strum by action, the guitar like hold of the violins allowed the instruments to showcase another way of playing them. The versatility of the music and the musicians saw the players racing together, then retreating briefly before before restarting. Precision and clarity brought a revised sense of the possibilities of stringed instruments and they exploited different sounds. An enjoyable and fast paced piece to end the first half.
Death and the Maiden, String Quartet No 14 in D Minor, D810 by Schubert was beautifully played. An intricate energetic introduction, with an elegant dance like Andante which was both sorrowful and gentle. The scherzo was melancholy, a dramatic journey through life and death with a sense of urgency. The Allegro was a fast paced conclusion, bringing the piece together.
As an encore the Sacconi Quartet played Old Molly Oxford (Christ Church Bells) by a Sheffield composer, Jon Boden. A dance like folk themed piece written for them.
A brilliant concert to end a great season!