A graceful exit: the Pražák Quartet bows out at Prague Spring

By Frank Kuznik, 20 May 2021

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“gave the music a regal quality, a performance fit for a king’s court”

Reviewed at Church of St Lawrence, Prague on 18 May 2021

Feld, String Quartet no. 4

Haydn, String Quartet no. 67 in F major, Op.77 No.2, Hob III:82

Stravinsky, Double Canon

Dvořák, String Quartet no. 14 in A flat major, Op.105

Pražák Quartet

Das Pražák Quartett zeigt lebendige Volksnähe in Lugano

Rolf Kyburz, 21st April

Das Quartett präsentiert romantische Frühwerke von Webern und Schönberg und widmet sich dem tschechischen Nationalkomponisten Smetana.

***11

An end-of-term Mahler 6 from the Hallé in Manchester

Rohan Shotton, 28th May

Kahchun Wong conducts The Hallé in Mahler's epic Sixth Symphony, although directorial idiosyncrasies sometimes get in the way of the music.

***11

Václav Luks and the OAE deliver operatic scale in Haydn's Creation

Nick Boston, 27th May

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Václav Luks are joined by their own choir and strong soloists for a fresh and colourful performance of Haydn's Die Schöpfung.

****1

Mallwitz and the Konzerthausorchester Berlin conquer Mahler's Fifth

Mengguang Huang, 27th May

At the Elbphilharmonie, Joana Mallwitz treats Mahler's Fifth as an argument to be won, and she knows exactly how it will end.

****1

Lost for words: Asmik Grigorian excels at Wigmore Hall

Roy Westbrook, 26th May

A first half of vocalises gives way to all Strauss after the interval as the Lithuanian superstar soprano helps Wigmore Hall celebrate its 125th anniversary.

****1

A self-congratulatory Cecilia Bartoli show at Salzburg Whitsun

Laura Servidei, 24th May

This year’s Salzburg Whitsun Festival gala, Ciao, bella ciao, features Cecilia Bartoli in a highly personalised musical programme structured as an autobiographical journey, unfolding as a blend of concert and self-portrait.

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Frank Kuznik

Frank Kuznik is the former Editor-in-Chief and Culture Editor of The Prague Post, Central Europe’s premier English-language weekly newspaper. He currently divides his time between Prague and his hometown in the US, Cleveland, where he covers northeast Ohio's dynamic classical music scene. In Prague he is an habitué of the Rudolfinum, National Theater, State Opera and other storied classical music venues, and an unabashed fan of Czech music.