Striking strings

Glasgow String Quartet are the type of musicians who have  many strings to their bow (excuse the pun!). As well as playing in their own ensemble they are the principle players in the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, how fancy! There is clearly a lot of talent here and their repertoire is composed of two of the most iconic quartets in the twentieth century. I wonder if I will recognise the music to hear as I have found the titles of chamber music pieces to often be quite scientific in their approach.

First off is Leos Janacek's String Quartet No.1 'Kreutzer Sonata'. I found this piece to be quite dramatic and passionate with a lot of crescendos and unusual sounds. There are elements which have an almost metallic, scratchy tone which are contrasted with long drawn out elegant strokes which seems to be a defining feature of this piece. I have to be honest and say that when I heard the scratchy sounds I was welcoming the smooth comfort of the lighter playing. The menacing high pitched, fast paced screech haunts throughout the piece against the backdrop of a calmer, fluid part.

Dmitri Shostakovich's String Quartet No.3 Op.73 had a similar jumpiness to the first piece. The different parts produced an interesting clash at times. The cello has real power in this piece and sounds great when teamed with pizzicato. Tempo changes are regular in this piece and there is a sense of gathering energy throughout. Power and contrast seem to be of the essence in Shostakovich's quartet.

This may be one of the concerts that have as much visual impact as they do musical. Who wouldn't be drawn into the twists and turns of these two unusual pieces being played by professionals at the top of their game?

The Glasgow String Quartet will perform at Cottier's Theatre on the 5th of June. To purchase tickets click here or visit the Cottier Theatre Box Office.

Photo by Jane Reid.