All about Bartók: Elias Quartet at the Wigmore
Music by Webern, Bartók and Brahms
Elias String Quartet
Wigmore Hall
Stalls R16, complimentary (under-35)
31 October 2017
Wigmore page
The Elias gave an immensely satisfying performance of Bartók’s Fourth String Quartet (the best piece ever? Discuss), impressively only slightly hindered by the injury of their regular violist. Robin Ireland subbed valiantly and could not have done a better job, but nor could he match the attack and vibrancy of sound of the other performers, particularly of the Bittlloch sisters Sara on first violin and Marie on cello. Injury aside, the ensemble, precision and searching interpretation of this performance left nothing to be desired, and while it probably wasn’t the best performance of that piece in that hall there’s ever been, it was a contender.
The Elias began their programme with Webern’s Slow Movement, which is fine, but I wonder if it would hurt for more people to start programming some proper Webern in its place. The Elias pushed romanticism to the max in their interpretation, which I guess they thought made good programmatical sense to balance the Brahms on the other side of the Bartók, but which was all a bit much for my taste. The Brahms A minor quartet with which they closed the programme was enjoyable enough – but I got the impression that for the Elias the Bartók was the star attraction. And I’ve no complaints with that.
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