ReviewChiaroscuro Quartet’s playing of Beethoven and Schubert a revelation in Hong Kong debut

Rarely do string quartets perform works of the Classical period and beyond on pure gut strings. These are made with fibres extracted from either sheep or cow intestines and one associates them with early instruments used for the performance of Baroque music of the 17th and 18th centuries. The customary choice for later works is “modern” strings that are wound with steel; these are less prone to temperature changes while producing enough sound to fill larger spaces. Despite the challenges in regard to tuning, gut strings indisputably have special qualities. In their performance of quartets by Beethoven and Schubert for the opening of Hong Kong University’s MUSE Chamber Music Festival on March 1, the Chiaroscuro Quartet not only proved their command of intonation on gut strings, but also captivated listeners with a dramatic use of light and shade. The quartet, named after the art term for strong contrast in light and shade, was founded in 2005 and is made up of violinist Alina Ibragimova, second violinist Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux, violist Emilie Hörnlund and cellist Claire Thirion. For their Hong Kong debut, British violinist Benjamin Marquise Gilmore replaced Saluste-Bridoux, and the quartet adopted a vibrato-free approach for the most part, aside from the odd addition of “wobble” to warm some of the higher lyrical passages. The bright acoustic of the Grand Hall at the University of Hong Kong Centennial Campus served them well and allowed their eye-opening interpretations to shine, even if listeners sitting towards the back needed some time to tune in to the intricacies of their performance. The Chiaroscuro’s ability to create sombre moments of stillness was particularly evident in their treatment of the dissonances at the opening of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 9 in C major, also known as the third “Razumovsky” quartet since it was commissioned by Count Andreas Razumovsky, Russian ambassador in Vienna. While the playing in the Allegro vivace first movement was rocky and unsettled to begin with, that soon gave way to tighter and more unified expressions of exuberance, including an exciting, no-holds-barred development section. The four musicians brought intense focus to the playing of the melancholic second movement Andante con moto quasi allegretto, which is infused with some Russian flavour. Here the Chiaroscuro Quartet hit the mark by evoking a barren vastness, possibly the Siberian tundra, their playing enhanced here and there with notably poignant pizzicato interjections from cellist Thirion and some highly imaginative phrasing from Ibragimova. Quirky and angular was the Menuetto grazioso that seamlessly segued into a super quick Allegro molto third movement, in which Ibragimova injected edgy, and refreshingly light-footed, off beats that also ensured playing of unwavering energy. The fugue-like finale, jam-packed with intriguing details in articulation, was punctuated with both chilling and resonant unison chords. As expected given the nature of the composition, the drama only escalated after intermission in Schubert’s String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, also known by its popular title “Death and the Maiden”. The interpretation of turmoil in the face of death alternating with moments of sweet lyricism showed much thought and depth without any let-up in the driving triplet undercurrents which pervade all four movement of Schubert’s masterwork. The powerful opening was both arresting and unsettling, a mood Ibragimova then contrasted brilliantly with tender, imaginative pleas from her violin. Biting accents that quickly died into sustained pianissimo sounded almost deadpan, and proved both effective and yet another surprising tool in the quartet’s box as their fascinating opening Allegro developed. The “voice of death” that opens the sublime Andante con moto theme and variations was, quite unexpectedly, a fuller and more legato account than many; the variations that ensued included moments of ethereal and wistful fantasy. One of the many highlights of Chiaroscuro’s performance on Saturday was an otherworldly, chorale-like take on the Trio, a minuet neatly nestled between the angular parts of the third movement Scherzo. Ibragimova played with inspired musicality and kept a cool demeanour throughout the performance, and even when a creaky section of the stage floor behind her page-turning foot pedal caused irritation, she remained an assured guiding force. A super-tight and frenetically paced finale capped off an evening of compelling drama and sonic revelations that will have left many listeners questioning aspects of some old favourites. “Chiaroscuro Quartet I”, Grand Hall, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong. Reviewed: March 1

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Quartet notable for using gut strings open HKU MUSE festival with concert full of arresting detail and captivating use of light and shade

Quartet notable for using gut strings open HKU MUSE festival with concert full of arresting detail and captivating use of light and shade