Concert
Leipzig String Quartet
Manoel Theatre

Four German musicians, among the finest ever to appear at the Manoel Theatre, vastly impressed their appreciative audience with the first of two recitals completely dedicated to Beethoven’s string quartets.

Stefan Arzberger and Tilman Büning (violins), Ivo Bauer (viola) and Matthias Moosdorfer (cello) are a formidable quartet and one of the best on the international scene.

Some lucky local music lovers must by now be very thrilled to have heard a total of 40 per cent of Beethoven’s string quartets, a process which was exciting at every stage. Still there should have been a better turnout and I do think that some people do not know what they have missed.

The Leipzig Quartet pursued a musical journey spanning right through Beethoven’s creative life, delving into each of the so-called Early, Middle and Late periods. Chronologically they were so but in reality, in his string quartets, Beethoven was in a continuous process of development. He dished out a set of six of them (Op. 18), his first such works when about 30 years old.

For their first recital under review here, the Leipzig chose Opus 18 No. 3 in D Major to represent his early attempt. Here there are lingering traces of earlier influences but the voice already sounds distinctive and the performance was one of zestful and cohesive playing with marked contrasts, finest possible texture and litheness.

In the second quartet of the Rasumovsky set of three (in E minor, Op. 59, No.2), written less than 10 years later during the Middle period, Beethoven’s voice was remarkably individual and this voice was projected to the full by the wonderful playing of these four string wizards.

In the face of such excellence, little else could or should be said

What, of course, amazes everybody is Beethoven’s late set of five string quartets. They are among his very last works. It is absolutely impossible not to stand in awe of them. They are linked in many different ways, but their astounding qualities stand out even more sharply when one considers that the composer was absolutely stone deaf when he wrote them. He delved into his innermost soul, experimenting with tonal variety, diversity and all sorts of sublime possibilities.

From this unique sound world which sheds so much light upon Beethoven’s physical darkness, the Leipzig Quartet chose the Quartet in A minor, Op. 132. They delved deeply into it and projected it marvellously well. In the face of such excellence and perfection, little else could or should be said.