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Miró Quartet Arrives Shorthanded And Dazzles Audience Nonetheless
Nancy Plum
One never wants to rejoice in someone else's misfortune, but when Miró String Quartet violinist Sandy Yamamoto was unable to perform on Thursday night, the ensemble took an imaginative approach and replaced the violinist with a pianist, thereby opening new possibilities in repertoire.
Mr. Wosner joined the ensemble for piano quartets of Mozart and Brahms. He was definitive in his performance of Mozart's Piano Quartet in E flat Major, a work which exploits the piano as if the piece were a mini-concerto. Accompanied by a rich and full violin, light viola, and stabilizing cello, Mr. Wosner was an equal player, coming to the forefront precisely in solo passages. Although the beginning of the second movement "Larghetto" was almost inaudible over the entrance of late-comers, the ending of the movement was especially elegant, with an even and steady piano. The quartet consistently brought out the drama in the music, which is often overlooked in Mozart in favor of his melodies.
Brahms' Piano Quartet in G minor (which the quartet has been playing on tour with other guest pianists) was a more expansive work, with four lengthy movements full of drama and continual ebb and flow. The first movement "Allegro" featured cellist Gindele, accompanied by forceful playing by the violin and viola, and a definitely bass register from the piano. Unwavering cello playing and a closing piano flourish characterized the second movement "Intermezzo," and a typically Brahms Hungarian flavor marked the fourth movement "Rondo," all of which were executed effectively by the quartet.
Interspersed between these two works was a trio for string players alone by Jean Françaix, a French neoclassical composer and virtuoso pianist who lived less than fifty years. A student of Maurice Ravel, Françaix wrote more than 200 works in his short life, and his Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello reflected the lightness and interplay between instruments which characterized his compositional style. There was so much going on in this work, and the musical patter among instruments was so clean that one had to concentrate to hear everything. This piece did not give the players time to breathe, yet the ensemble's collective restraint and discipline never made things seem out of control. The third movement "Andante" in particular was a continuous flow of music, with a dry ending indicating Françaix's compositional wit.
The Miró String Quartet mixes an active touring schedule with their residency at the University of Texas at Austin. Through this double-sided career, the ensemble can maintain its commitment to the next generation of musicians while delighting audiences such as the full house at Richardson last week. The Princeton audience was lucky to get the best of both worlds: a mesmerizing mini-piano recital through the piano quartets and an exquisite string ensemble performance.
The final performance in Princeton University's Summer Concert Series, on Wednesday, July 20 at Richardson Auditorium, will feature music of Pleyel, Shostakovich, and Beethoven. Call the Richardson box office at (609) 258-5000 for information.
