It takes more than just accomplished playing to fulfill an audience’s expectations

By David Abrams
http://cnycafemomus.com/David_Abrams.html

There’s nothing wrong with the Orion String Quartet that a good drama coach can’t fix.

The 25-year-old ensemble, which came to Syracuse Saturday evening to open the 62nd season of the Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music, has what it takes to stand tall among the best in the chamber music business: a handsome blend of tone, finely honed ensemble-work, dependable playing, gutsy delivery and, when needed, pizzazz. But the four middle-aged players, colorful neckties notwithstanding, need a pointer or two on how to work the crowd.

The eager, sold-out crowd of 400 arrived early, battled one other over available parking spaces, waited patiently to get into the auditorium and then shuffled about in a quest to find the best seats in the house. By 8 p.m. they were chomping at the bit, in a state of excited anticipation, to hear a program spearheaded by Haydn’s buoyant String Quartet in D minor, Op.76 no.2 ("The Fifths"). But while the Haydn quartet may have been the logical and expected choice to begin the evening’s fare, the audience instead received a solemn lecture on contrapuntal procedure: two Contrapuncti from Bach’s The Art of the Fugue.

Concert Experience 101: The opening work on a concert program, like a tasty dinner appetizer, should set both mood and flavor of the experience to come. In the case of Saturday’s program, why not start with Papa Haydn and then segue into the abstruse machinations of the mighty contrapuntist? And while we’re at it, is there any musical merit to dividing first-chair responsibilities between violinist brothers Daniel and Todd Phillips?

Todd, who on this program played first chair only in the Haydn quartet, has a more aggressive and extroverted playing style than does sibling Daniel (as might be expected from the former’s bright cranberry-colored shirt and argyle socks). That’s not to say that Daniel is unworthy of the first-chair. Quite the contrary, he is a solid and dependable lead player, despite of an occasional tendency to sag slightly in pitch. But to the discerning ear (and the Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music audience is arguably the most educated and musically erudite in Central NY), the sound and character of a string quartet change significantly when a different violinist is at the helm ― and this changing of the guard does little to advance Orion’s image as a quartet with a unique sound and identity.

When the ensemble finally got to the Haydn quartet (third on the program, preceding intermission), it proved well worth the wait.

Of the many sets of quartets spanning Haydn’s creative years, Op. 76 stands at or near the top of his brilliant chamber music output. Here is the 65-year-old "Father of the String Quartet," as he is often called, in full-bloom at the pinnacle of his long and illustrious career. Nicknamed "The Fifths’’ (no doubt because of the descending intervals of a Perfect-5th that punctuate the opening of the work’s first movement), the D minor Quartet, Op.76 no.2 is a staple of the string quartet repertory and, next to the Emperor Quartet (Op. 76 no.3), my personal favorite of the set of six quartets.

With Todd now at first violin, Orion at once achieved a handsome and engaging blend of tone that made me forget, for the moment, the dry acoustical properties of Lincoln Middle School Auditorium.

The players dug in to the first movement with enthusiasm and gusto, particularly during the rugged transition (between themes one and two) and the tension-building development section. Orion’s approach to the work’s second movement (Andante o più tosto allegretto) was original and refreshing. In place of the customary gentle legato that connects the phrases of slow movements such as this, Orion relaxed the tempo considerably and evoked wistful phrases that gently seasoned the melodic lines, crafting an interpretation that perhaps looked forward a decade and a half later into the Romantic period. The result was a movement full of charm, poise and beauty.

The third movement canon, where four instruments meld into two pairs of voices playing in parallel octaves, was slightly top-heavy as the violin pair overpowered the viola and cello pair. Still, Orion’s rhythmic propulsion in both the Minuet and the Trio made for some exciting and invigorating moments. The four players went for the jugular in the fourth movement Finale, digging into the strings with confidence and vigor, and bringing the work (and the first-half of the program) to an exhilarating close.

Stravinsky’s Concertino for String Quartet (1930), which followed the Bach, recalls the style and feel of one of the composer’s better known chamber works, L’Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier’s Tale). Orion delivered the spunky rhythmic ostinatos that permeate the work’s neo-classical framework with suitable flamboyance, while Daniel tossed off the ubiquitous double-stops with grace and élan.

Although the Bach Contrapuncti may not have been an especially wise choice with which to open the program, I must admit I was impressed with the solemnity of Orion’s interpretation. The four voices were well-balanced and equally weighted, as good contrapuntal textures should be, and the ensemble’s addition of a wide variety of dynamic shifts gave emphasis and drama that transcended Bach, at times recalling late Beethoven (particularly the Grosse Fuge).

Those who follow my reviews may find it difficult to believe that it’s possible for me to dislike anything written by Johannes Brahms. For one thing, the archetypical perfectionist burned all the works (particularly his string quartets) he considered unworthy, and whatever works remained are, well, mighty good. This having been said, the String Quartet in A minor, Op.51 no.2 (1873) contains the only slow movement by Brahms (the intolerably long second movement) I wish had gone up in flames with the others.

Orion’s tempos throughout the work suggest a thorough understanding of the composer’s fondness for relaxed tempos, particularly in opening movements. Orion’s leisurely tempo during the first movement allowed the expansive melodic material to breathe and blossom, and the players used the give-and-take of tempo (rubato) to caress the phrases to great effect. Brahms also demands a warm blend of tone in his string chamber music (one of Orion’s strong suits), as well as the ability to craft playful pizzicato accompaniments to the shapely melodic lines, which Orion also does quite well.

Whatever may be lacking in the lengthy second movement is more than compensated for in the mournful third movement (Quasi Minuetto, moderato), an expressive piece of writing that is rich in warmth and pathos. The Finale, too, provided a worthy vehicle for Orion’s sensitive manner of delivery, but by this time Daniel’s pitch was beginning to drift to the flat side, which soon began to detract from the overall mesmerizing effect of Brahms’s music.

Although I was generally impressed with Orion’s delivery and perspicacity of style in the Brahms quartet, I wished their performance had that one elusive element that could have made a good performance a great performance: spontaneity. The players appeared to me to have been just a shade too tired to tackle a work of this magnitude and make it seem as though the notes were distancing themselves from the sheet music. Still, I commend the ensemble for having the good sense to place this piece at the only suitable location on the program: last.

Now, if only they’ll pay as much attention to the beginning… 

Details Box:
What: Orion String Quartet
Where: Lincoln Middle School, 1613 James Street, Syracuse
When: September 24, 2011
Time: about 2 hours, with intermission
Attendance: About 400 (sold out)
Information: call (315) 446-3424
Ticket prices: Regular $25, Senior $15, Student $10
Website: syracusefriendsofchambermusic.org 
Next: American Chamber Players, 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22