Iona McDonald	violin
Eriol Buo Yu	violin
Miguel Sobrinho	viola
Jonathan Ho Man	cello

 All three of the string quartets Perth Chamber Music has presented this season to the people of Perth in their St.John’s Kirk concerts have been absolutely brilliant, first class concerts. This was particularly true of the young Asaka Quartet, also Tunnell Trust Prizewinners. As an unusual touch they played arrangements by the Danish Quartet, starting with Tjꬾnnenblumen (Water Lily) a haunting waltz given with lilt and feeling.

Mendelssohn’s Quartet in a minor Op.13 showed his appreciation of Beethoven using a motto and recitative as in the Late Quartets. A warm Adagio preceded their impulsive Allegro, dazzlingly played. Their refinement and passion equalled that of the eighteen year old composer. Noticeable in the Adagio was both their differentiation and their blend: lines clearly played but with equality of contributions. The quicker episode and the embroidery gained in passion before the consoling, calming close. Smoothly serenade-like, yet with a knowing smile the Intermezzo had great charm, and Mendelssohn’s fairies at its heart. Abruptly, they began the Finale with passion and furious scrubbing. Their fine technique brought out the passion, calming into the restated, regretful Ist es wahr quotation.

Nicely explained by Leader Iona McDonald The Dromer or Unst Boat Song was hymn-like; the Quartet’s playing of this prayer for good weather and the safe return of the boats had a simple, heart-felt directness, particularly in the sotto voce ending.

Drama and emotion came again in Brahms’ c minor Quartet Op.51 No1. The Asaka Quartet were at one with the fire of this quartet, digging into the harmonies and the tension plus with the most beautiful string sound in certain passages. The Romanze sang with warmth of feeling , the high-lying cello passage of Jonathan Ho Man notable. The troubadour, olde-worlde minuet feel to the Allegretto was inward looking, with a tinge of regret, the yodeling of its Trio a fine contrast. It was back to tension in the magnificent fierce playing of the Finale, plus its contrast in the flighted second theme. Exciting was the tone of this fine ensemble as they plunged to the end.

A final Danish String Quartet arrangement was the encore: Shine You No More. The Scots fiddle playing joyful above the slower melodic counters. A joyful piece “Before we send you out into the cold.”

Ian Stuart Hunter