Quatuor Mosaïques: Gut instinct

By Zwölftöner, 16 January 2012

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Reviewed at Konzerthaus: Mozart Saal, Vienna on 12 January 2012

Mozart, String Quartet no. 18 in A major, K464

Haydn, String Quartet no. 61 in D minor "Fifths," Op.76 no.2, Hob III:76

Schumann, String Quartet in F major, Op.41 no.2

Quatuor Mosaïques

Old is New: Quatuor Mosaïques Reimagine Haydn, Mendelssohn and Schubert

Amanda Keil, 11th April

Enter the sound world of Quatuor Mosaïques and check your expectations at the door. They perform on what we call period instruments: gut strings (rather than steel), classical bows (shorter than their modern counterparts), and less tension in the instruments.

****1

Quatour Mosaïques explores neglected repertoire

Nahoko Gotoh, 3rd April

Most string quartets seldom step outside the established canon of the classical Viennese repertoire (Haydn to Schubert), some Schumann, Brahms and Dvorak, some 20th century French repertoire, Bartok and Shostakovich. Not so the Quatuor Mosaïques.

Korngold and Mahler from Ray Chen, Vasily Petrenko and the RPO

Roy Westbrook, 12th May

Few violin concertos soar from the first bar as Erich Korngold’s does, especially as in Ray Chen's high-wire account at the Royal Albert Hall.

****1

Energetic Currentzis and Utopia at the Elbphilharmonie

Mengguang Huang, 12th May

From Berg’s crystalline intimacy to Dionysian Mahler, Teodor Currentzis and Utopia defy orchestral tradition with standing musicians, spatial acoustics and an emotional intensity that breathes new life into the concert life.

****1

Redemption and musical caffeine: Nelsons conducts Mahler 8 in Vienna

Mark Pullinger, 10th May

Sunday morning Mahler at the Wiener Konzerthaus sees Andris Nelsons concluding his symphony cycle with the Vienna Philharmonic in shattering fashion.

****1

Alexander Malofeev conjures sophistication at the Concertgebouw

Clare Varney, 10th May

Sitting low on the piano stool and with his head gently bobbing from side to side, this is music to listen to on repeat.

****1

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Zwölftöner

Zwölftöner is a doctoral student based in Vienna, Austria. Interests include opera and orchestral, chamber, piano and contemporary music.