featuringtheOpp.54and55sets,
known,alongwiththeOp.64set,
as the ‘Tost’ Quartets.
The LHQ approaches these
performances with detailed
consideration for every stroke
ofthebow.Haydn’sensemble
textures are treated like shapely,
rounded surfaces brimming with
character, the quartet balancing
themostdelicatemomentswith
passages of real athleticism.
Haydn delights in every
quartet, particularly during the
gypsy-inflected Op. 54/2 second
movement, where first violinist
CatherineManson’srichyetplayful
readingshines.Moretreatsliein
store in the sparklingprestofinale
of the Op. 54/3 quartet, and the
minortomajorjourneyofthe
RazorQuartet, Op. 55/2.
Haydn’s quartets were
celebrated for not just spotlighting
thefirstviolin,butfortheir
creative approach to facilitating
conversation between all four
instruments. This is exemplified
in the LHQ’s readings, which
are balanced, clear and precise.
You won’t come muc h c loser to
perfection.Andrew Aronowiczsax) arrangement by Michael
Duke enriches this magical work.
Nostalgiaby Daniel Rojas
(arrangedbyJayByrnes,baritone
sax)paysasolemnhomagetothe
composer’s memories of childhood
naivety. An adrenaline-fuelled
Slipstreamby Matthew Orlovich
features a bicycle bell, illustrating
the sensation of cycling by use of
wildly ascending and descending
passages and swelling dynamics.
Matthew Hindson’s Overture
fromScenes from Romeo and
Julietisutterlystartling,withits
jabbing tones and high-impact
silences.Romeosounds like a
challenge but Nexas rates highly
with outstanding consistency in
both individual performance and
ensemble balance. This continues
with Lachlan Skipworth’sDark
Nebulae,inwhichthemusicians
aresorestrainedthatwehave
toopenourearsinordertohear
thewavesoftheplayer’sdroning,
unnerving overtones.
Alittlelessreverberationwould
have highlighted the quartet’s
capacity for fragility and buoyancy,
but this does not distract from a
riveting release.Stephanie EslakeJoseph Haydn
StringQuartetsOpp.54and55
TheLondonHaydnQuartet
HYPERION CDA68160
★★★★★
Period perfection that would
have made Papa Haydn proud
Naming your ensemble after a
composer creates high expectations
whenitcomestoperformingtheir
music, but the London Haydn
Quartet certainly don’t disappoint.
Brought together through their
sharedloveofFranzJoseph’sstring
quartets,thegroupisdistinguished
fromsimilarensemblesbyits
period approach to ‘Papa’ Haydn.
They’vespentthelast20years
devoted to the composer’s
extensive canon. And having
recordedHaydn’sfiveprevioussets
of quartets on the Hyperion label,
the LHQ is releasing its sixth disc,
Current
MusicbyKats-Chernin,
Hindson, Orlovich et al
Nexas Quartet
NQC001
★★★★Nexas deliver Current Aussie
music for saxophone quartetCurrentisafittingnameforNexas
Quartet’s new release featuring five
leading Australian composers.
Elena Kats-Chernin’s repetitive
theme opensFrom Anna
Magdalena’s Notebook,overwhich
soars Andrew Smith on alto sax,
with Nathan Henshaw nearby
on tenor. Each musician exudes a
certain clarity in tone but texture
is added through growls and the
soundofoccasionalclickykeys.
Originally written for string
quartet, the saxophone quartet’s
warmth in this 2015 (sopranoRichardEgarr,DirectoroftheAcademyofAncientMusicdescribes
ViennesecomposerCastello’smusicas“utterlyboundlessinits
virtuosity, imagination and colour, and would take anything we could
throwatitinperformance.”Well,he’sright.AlthoughDarioCastello
isn’tterriblywellknownthesedayssincealmostnobiographical
information about him has survived, back in the early 17th century he
wascelebratedacrossEuropewithreprintafterreprintofhisSonate
Concertate.Subtitledin Stil Moderno(in the modern style), these
unusualpiecesliveuptotheirdescriptionbyincludingrapid-firewind
passagesandsectionsthatchangemoodatthedropofahat.It’sa
bit CPE Bach-esque in that Castello seems to delight in confounding
both listeners and players with unexpected twists and turns. Castello
realised that this sort of thing meant that the pieces were tricky to
playbutwouldn’thaveanyofit,writingthatalthoughthesonatas
“mayappeardifficult,theirspiritwillnotbedestroyedbyplayingthem
morethanonce...thiswillrenderthemveryeasy.”Helpfuladvice!
There’s a focus on the winds here, with wind instruments appearing
in solo form across a solid three-quarters of the disc. The flashy writing
for these rare early winds like the cornetto or dulcian is certainly
impressive–thedulcian(anearlybassoon)playedbyBennyAghassiis
given some fiendish runs. Nonetheless, the AAM make these complex
workssoundeasy,andEgarrdirectswithpoise.Thisrecordingisthe
first book of theSonate Concertate,andthegoodnewsisthatthe
AAMapparentlyplanstorecordthesecondbookaswell.Ifyoulike
Monteverdi-esquemusicoftheearlyBaroquebutwithsomesurprises
along the way, you’ll be very pleased with this one.Paul Ballam-CrossCenturies later, Viennese composer
Dario Castello still sounds Moderno
Dario Castello
Sonate Concertate in Stil Moderno, Libro
Primo
AcademyofAncientMusic/Richard Egarr
ABC CLASSICS 4814929
★★★★✩http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au MAY 2017LIMELIGHT 77
REVIEWSO