Performing Arts

Hunting: Gathering

Hunting: Gathering Zephyr Quartet Khai LiewPresented by The Zephyr Quartet
Reviewed Thurs 5th August 2010

http://www.zephyrquartet.com

Venue: Khai Liew Design, 166 Magill Road, Norwood
Season: finished
Duration: 1hr 30min

The Zephyr Quartet presented a concert of five pieces, three short works and two major works, in conjunction with the designs of Khai Liew and the Collectors exhibition at his gallery, as the latest in their ‘sight specific’ series. The current line-up of the quartet is Belinda Gehlert and Emily Tulloch (violins), Lilian-Terri Dahlenburg (viola) & Hilary Kleinig (cello). Dahlenburg replaces Anna Webb, who is pursuing her career in orchestral playing, and she has settled in to the group well, matching their style and interpretations of the works as though they had been playing together much longer.

J. S. Bach’s Prelude No. 7 in E flat major, from his collection, Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1, arranged by Hilary Kleinig, opened the evening. This group is best known for its programming of 20th Century and contemporary pieces and so it was a rare chance to hear them play a Baroque work, which they did bringing out all of the clarity of Bach’s intricate harmonic nuances. Its inclusion reflects the clear cut structure of Baroque writing, which Kleinig relates to that of the furniture on display.

Stephen Whittington’s …from a thatched hut, a work in seven movements written especially for the concert, directly inspired by Khai Liew’s furniture, was the first major work of the evening. Whittington saw similarities between the furniture of Khai Liew and that of the Ming Dynasty. Whittington drew inspiration, also, from the Chinese poets and writers, in particular those that spent some or all of their time separated from society. This work is an intriguing blend of Eastern styles with Western techniques. Three of the movements were in strict canon form and the other four were more open in the approach to their composition. This all provided plenty of variety within a work that was a coherent whole. The Quartet played superbly and brought out well the feel of the Orient inherent in the writing. Having access to the composer is a big advantage and no doubt gave the quartet a great insight into his intentions for this work. Both the work and their excellent performance gave rise to much conversation after the concert.

Carrelage phonique (Acoustic tiling) and Tapisserie en fer forge (Wrought-iron music) from Erik Satie’s 1920 composition Musique d’ameublement (Furniture Music), arranged by Whittington, provided a brief contrast with a light, humorous aspect. Satie wrote it with the stated intention that it be played and, like furniture, to have people vaguely aware of its existence but not to have full attention paid to its performance. Satie was ahead of his time. Today, of course, we have bland recorded music around us all of the time in lifts, shops, bars, restaurants and just about anywhere else that people might go. The Americans refer to it as ‘elevator music’ and, in England, it is usually called ‘wallpaper music’. Satie’s pieces, however, have more musical merit than the garbage that we usually hear in a lift, or are forced to endure whilst waiting for an operator to answer our telephone call. In these arrangements, the short thematic elements are passed around the quartet, creating a greater interest than, perhaps, Satie intended. The quartet certainly brought out the humour that they found in these pieces.

The String Quartet No. 2, Hunting: Gathering, by Kevin Volans, from which the concert takes its title, was the other large work of the evening. This is a complex and difficult piece, utilising a great many modern playing techniques and considerable use of mutes. This was the greatest challenge for the quartet in this concert and they rose well to that challenge. The balance between the parts was finely calculated and resulted in an absorbing performance.

A return to the works of Erik Satie for his Gnossienne No. 3, in an arrangement by Hilary Kleinig, closed the evening. This fascinating miniature, played with skill and subtlety, served nicely as an encore, continuing the rather spiritual mood of the concert.

The exhibition, Collectors, runs until 29th August at Khai Liew Design.

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Arts Editor Glam Adelaide.

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