Quartet in the Dark

Just been this afternoon to a stunning performance of Beethoven’s Op. 131 String Quartet – it was in the Dark; the four players had learnt this mighty piece by heart and were faintly lit from the ground, casting huge shadows behind them, a weird effect of giant Ligottian puppets elbowing, and their bows also cast Rembrandtian masks on their faces…
Having learnt it by heart the quartet seemed more able to communicate the music to us and ‘conversationally’, even passionately to each other.
The Sacconi Quartet at the Mercury Theatre Studio, Colchester.
They also played an excellently crepitating Graham Fitkin piece as hors d’oeuvres.

(My previous local classical music reviews HERE.)