Turina: La oración del torero; Dohnányi: Piano Quintet No. 2 in E-flat Minor, Op. 26; Brahms: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34 / Dover Quartet (Joel Link, Bryan Lee, violins; Julianne Lee, viola; Camden Shaw, cello); Leif Ove Andsnes, piano. Koerner Hall, April 28, 2024.
Many Canadian string quartet enthusiasts will know the Dover Quartet from when they won first prize at the prestigious Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC) in 2013. This American string quartet has since won many more important prizes and is now much sought after.
The Sunday afternoon performance at Koerner Hall is one of the stops on their North American tour with distinguished Norwegian pianist, Leif Ove Andsnes.
At the start of the concert, cellist Camden Shaw spoke to the audience about the first half of the program that included Spanish composer Joaquin Turina’s La oración del torero (The Bullfighter’s Prayer) for string quartet, and Hungarian composer Ernő Dohnányi’s Piano Quintet No. 2 in E-flat Minor.
Shaw commented on the French influence in the Bullfighter’s Prayer. And, indeed, the quartet was attentive to both the Spanish and French elements. The incisive rhythms evoked Spanish dance rhythms, and the colours of the harmonies were reminiscent of Debussy.
It was a very descriptive piece, where, at moments, the low register of the cello conjured the image of a bull. At the end of the piece, the harmonies ascended higher and higher, as if the music itself was the prayer to be offered to the heavens. In this short piece, the quartet demonstrated tremendous mastery in creating different colours and hues of sound.
Whereas the Turina quartet was more a descriptive piece, the Dohnányi piano quintet, finding inspiration from Beethoven and Brahms, was more formal in construction. Joined by Andsnes, the Dover Quartet delivered an impressive interpretation. The balance was meticulous. Space was given to highlight melodic elements. This was especially the case in the second movement, where the viola, beautifully played by Julianne Lee, really shone. The nuanced dynamics were used to emphasize the harmonies.
The final movement, beginning with a fugue, was particularly well executed. The quartet found the appropriate sound that matched the marking in the score, espressivo ma sotto voce. I did, however, feel that the tempos were on the faster side for the first (Allegro non troppo) and second (Allegretto) movements.
The second half of the program was devoted to Johannes Brahms’s Piano Quintet in F minor. It is a formidable piece of music, which Andsnes and the Dover Quartet performed with great authority. The quartet and Andsnes have a commanding understanding of the structure of the music. Even in the thickest textures, there was clarity.
As in the Dohnányi, this quintet highlighted the craft of Brahms’s composition. Brahms’s musical ideas are passed from one part to the other with the utmost care, intention, and precision. In the Scherzo, the quintet created great contrasts and an engaging driving energy.
There was an exactness to the performance, but it did not come at the expense of the expressive qualities of the music. This magnificent performance was enthusiastically received by the audience with a standing ovation.
The next stop on their tour is Carnegie Hall in New York City. New Yorkers are in for a real treat.
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