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

Apollonian radiance and women scorned: the Britten Sinfonia at Snape

Roy Westbrook, 18th June

Hell holds no fury like a woman scorned, and it was certainly so in Greek mythology, celebrated in this outstanding Aldeburgh Festival performance by the Britten Sinfonia and Helen Charlston.

*****

Black American music finds a new voice at the Concertgebouw

Clare Varney, 18th June

Dutch premieres, new faces and new arrangements result in a concert quite unlike any other from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Antony Hermus.

****1

Improvisatory Gershwin from Ryan Wang with Chromatica Orchestra

Nick Boston, 17th June

Energetic yet atmospheric performances from Chromatica Orchestra, with Ingunn Korsgård Hagen providing firm yet spirited direction.

****1

A perfect landing with Harding and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Mengguang Huang, 17th June

Håkan Hardenberger joins the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Daniel Harding for a thrilling night concluding with a breathtaking, high-energy Beethoven Four.

****1

Poise over fire: McGegan, Chen and the Orchestra of St Luke’s

Edward Sava-Segal, 16th June

A late substitution turns a violinist-led showcase into a polished, orchestra-centred Bach Festival evening at Carnegie Hall.

***11

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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.