TSM Wednesday night in Walter Hall featured the Isidore Quartet (Adrian Steele and Phoenix Avalon – violins, Devin Moore – viola and Joshua McClendon – cello).  The first half of the programme featured two new works plus the first four fugues from Bach’s Art of the Fugue.

First up was Dinuk Wijeratne’s Disappearance of Lisa Gherardini.  It’s a playful piece exploring ideas around the 1911 theft of the rather famous painting of Ms. Gherardini from the Louvre and also how she might feel about being stared at by 30,000 visitors per day.  It’s written to be performed, not just played, and there was a fair bit of non-musical interaction between the players.  The music itself is varied, ranging from lyrical to chaotic and sometimes managing to be both at once.  I really enjoyed it.

Aida Shirazi’s umbra is a darker piece and, appropriately enough, was played with the lights dimmed.  This piece is atmospheric building slowly from a barely perceptible opening through a more frenzied phase to an equally evanescent conclusion.  Along the way we get lots of microtones and some extended technique.  A well constructed, thought provoking piece.

The Bach is great material for watching a string quartet (or any small ensemble) in action.  The way the themes are passed from player to player is visually as well as musically obvious and it’s just fun to watch and listen to, especially when it’s played so well.

After the interval it was the great and meaty String Quartet No. 15 in A Minor, Op.132 by Beethoven with its famous third movement; a sort of hymn of thanksgiving following recovery from illness.  I don’t think I’ll ever tire of listening to the late quartets and last night was no exception.  It’s remarkable that just four instruments can create so much structural depth.  It got a fine performance from the Isidore’s who fully deserved their standing O.

Photo credit: Lucky Tang