String quartet strikes a dischord

Author: Ian Thomas Fleishman

The Muir String Quartet's performance on Sunday afternoon met with one of the warmest receptions ever experienced at Middlebury. The constant visual communication between the players was reflected as a unity of sound rarely achieved by even the most skilled and experienced ensembles. This was also the impression they gave a few years ago - whether they play an excellent or rather mediocre concert (as the case was on Sunday) they play it with a perfect cohesion that is a pleasure to regard.

This phenomenal unity was the redeeming aspect of the performance, as the technical virtue and preparation of the program was far less stunning. The concert began with a composition by the father of the string quartet, Franz Joseph Haydn. Already in the first movement, it was apparent the first violinist, Peter Zazofsky, was not at his best. The more difficult passages were poorly executed and his intonation was consistently in disaccord with the other players, who by contrast had flawless rhythmic and dynamic synchronization.

By all means, Zazofsky should be brilliant - he won second prize in the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels 25 years ago. It was around this time that the Muir String Quartet made their debut, naming themselves after the naturalist and explorer, John Muir. In fact, the quartet donates proceeds from their EcoClassics CD's to environmental and conservation organizations.

But Sunday's concert, sponsored by a grant from the Institute for Clinical Science and Art in memory of Dr. Carolyn Sunderman, was obviously below the quartet's potential. Their rendition of Haydn was boisterous, bordering on aggressive, emphasizing the fiery gusto in the final movement and the characteristically humorous ending.

Sadly, this interpretational tendency transferred into the seldom-played Debussy quartet. The piece itself was exquisite, but it may have been better had it been played by another ensemble, or at least interpreted differently. The first movement is marked "très décidé," and certainly the Muir's performance was deliberate. Again, their choices were perfectly unified - indeed, the dynamic contrasts were affectingly executed, if not a bit too dramatic for the piece - but it was also somewhat crude. Debussy should sparkle at the surface of the water. This piece, with its typically swimming background, often felt a bit submerged. Yet the passionate final movement inspired the audience to a standing ovation, even before intermission.

When the quartet returned, it was with guest artist Maria Lambros, who was to play Brahms' Viola Quintet in G major, Op. 111. The temperament of the piece seemed to correspond better with the rather zealous mood of the ensemble with their rich, full sound, which was made even deeper by the additional viola. Yet, their playing was at times almost painfully out of tune. The work concluded on a jovial note, and the surprising ending was gripping - easily the best-executed passage that they played.

The hall burst immediately into fervent applause. The concert could have been better, but at least the audience was pleased.