2 July 2006
The Allegri Quartet with Peter Carter
Haydn "Fifths" Op 76 No. 2
Shostakovich Quartet No. 11
Mozart E flat Quintet
Daniel began the concert with a lyrical description of the musicians' day in Llanfyllin - swimming in the river and walking in the countryside, enjoying the views and the weather. He told us that giving a concert in St Myllin's Church is the ideal finale to such a day!
The Haydn "Fifths" Quartet is a charming piece, which includes the direction Andante o piu tosto allegretto - we were informed that none of the Quartet were able to translate that "tosto", and they had been forced to fall back on Peter Carter's theory that it is a reference to Johan Tost, friend and colleague of Haydn's at Esterhazy, who had a habit of hurrying a little in performances. Whatever the origin of the direction, the Allegri produced a vibrant performance - clearly a day in the Welsh sunshine is indeed an excellent preparation for a concert.
The great advantage of a concert series played within a short period is the opportunity it affords for comparisons. The second Shostakovich Quartet of the Festival, No 11 in F minor, is strikingly different from the No 8 we heard on Friday. Much more sparse in texture, and less directly accessible, the Allegri's virtuoso performance of the seven short movements, played without a break, created a seamless and intelligible whole.
After the interval, the Allegri were joined by Peter Carter for the Mozart Quintet in Eflat, K614. It is still rather disconcerting to see Peter Carter in the second viola seat after all his years as first violin. The Quintet is a good-tempered piece, the Landler that forms the Trio of the Third movement seeming especially appropriate to a warm summer evening, and the smiles that occasionally lit up the concentrated faces of the musicians giving ample evidence that they enjoy playing it as much as we enjoyed listening. By the end of the boisterous finale, it was no surprise that the ovation continued until our hands were sore!
Rachel Wright
Committee Member