Author Topic: Pacifica Quartet  (Read 2974 times)

Offline richidoo

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Pacifica Quartet
« on: April 30, 2007, 08:19:36 AM »

Pacifica Quartet

This is one of the best chamber groups in the country. They record for Cedille records, which are superb recordings. Their Dvorak Eb quartet was my first classical disc and started my whole hifi awakening, I just had to hear this in lifelike detail. One thing led to another, now look where I am.  :x

They played at Fletcher Opera theater in Raleigh yesterday, a very small intimate concert hall holds about 500, but all great seats. We were about 5 rows back center. Unamplified, the sound was exquisite.

It was weird to see a player in person and hear all the minute inflections and stylizations that I had grown accustomed to on the CDs. Until I heard her in person, I never thought of that sound as unique to her, "just a violin." Once I heard her play, it was "just like the records," very cool!

The 1st violin is a great player, it is really something to watch her. Several times especially in the first Smetena quartet I was very moved by their intensely emotional interpretation. Julie thought they were over the top with theatrics and had to close her eyes to enjoy it.  :roll:

The second was Janacek quartet which they recorded on their most recent CD called Declarations. It is more modern but really fun. It was incredible to see players of their caliber play such technically demanding and heart wrenching music 20 feet infront of me.

After intermission pianist Wu Han joined them for a Schumann piano quintet. It was pretty boring. She applied typical classical stiff stuck up interpretation to an already pedestrian selection. The quartet had to follow her and she took it way down.

The quartet is in residence at U Illinois Urbana and tour a lot around the world. They have a lot of recordings. If you like sophisticated and  emotional interpretations of romantic and modern quartet music, check them out. They are my favorite Quartet.
Rich