Photo: Keith Saunders
Formed in 2003, France’s Modigliani Quartet (named after the modernist Italian sculptor and painter who worked mainly in Paris and died there in 1920) has returned to Australia for a Musica Viva tour, with this recital coinciding with the 2015 Melbourne Festival. Days before the tour was to commence the Quartet’s cellist suffered an accident that seriously injured his shoulder; Christophe Morin, an extraordinary artist, stepped into the breach at short notice and miraculously learned two new programs at no notice. Only one change became necessary: Australian composer, Nigel Westlake’s Second String Quartet sadly needed to be replaced by Shostakovich’s First Quartet. From time to time, these things regrettably happen in the arts and few understand the strain involved on the concert organisers and indeed the musicians invcolved. All concerned should be congratulated for their professionalism in saving this tour.
I have known of this ensemble since its formation but this performance was the first time I have heard it live. Based on this recital, the Modigliani Quartet is all that a fine quartet should be: a haul of virtuosic technique and much in the way of interpretive intelligence and imagination. Excellent tuning besides. These four dashing young Frenchmen could interchange angelic lightness and precision with dramatic weight at lightning speed; on occasion, however, their playing could edge towards being rough-hewn, even forced. Throughout, however, the Quartet demonstrated a lovely unified sound; particularly the upper voices were completely attuned to each other’s thinking.
Overall, Schubert’s D87 Quartet fared best with a complete understanding and full realisation of the prettiness, lightness and delicacy of intent. Played on 17th and 18th century instruments ‘of the period’ the Haydn (Op 50 No 1) was performed with very 20th and 21st century rhetoric, as best as it could be, but lacked the delight of natural simplicity and subtle humour that Haydn so savoured. The ensemble’s general sensibilité on this occasion was better suited to Beethoven’s Op 95 ‘Serioso’ though, at times, the playing was unconvincingly strident.
Though oddly programmed at the conclusion of the recital, Shostakovich’s First Quartet was accomplished with a delightful sense of Spring and freshness mixed with wit and dry brevity. Notable was the still beauty and intelligence of Laurent Marfaing’s viola solos when time stood still. The recital’s encore, announced as ‘Plink, Plink, Plonk’ was an amusing and appealing, toe-tapping piece of Riviera blancmange sending us off into the night in Jacques Tati high spirits.
The ensemble was heard within the exquisite acoustic clarity of the Melbourne Recital Centre, a cultural treasure of Melbourne and indeed the whole country; if only a third of its 1,000 seats could be removed to provide but adequate comfort for its (some elderly) patrons.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Modigliani Quartet
Presented by Musica Viva Australia
Violin: Philippe Bernhard
Violin: Loïc Rio
Viola: Laurent Marfaing
Cello: Christophe Morin
Melbourne Recital Centre
13 & 17 October
Melbourne Festival
www.festival.melbourne
8-25 October 2015
