The Goldmund Quartet, a group of young musicians on tour from Munich, Germany, played their first concert in Vancouver for Friends of Chamber Music on Tuesday, January 30, 2024. This was the 12th and final concert of a 3-week first North American headlining tour. (A shorter previous Canadian visit had been to fill in at the last minute for the ailing Artemis Quartet.)
Violinists Florian Schotz and Pinchas Adt, violist Christoph Vandory, and cellist Raphael Paratore launched into Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet in D minor, Opus 76 No 2 “Fifths” with dynamic vigour and bite, but without abandoning the blend, balance, and sweetness of tone that is required to do justice to this music. We heard a muscular Haydn, with beauty in the architecture, and delicately balanced sweet tones where appropriate.
Following that music of late Classicism, the Goldmund played a poignantly Romantic interpretation of Borodin’s String Quartet No 2 in D major. After gorgeous moments in both the opening lilting Allegro and the Scherzo, we were treated to a wistfully emotional Notturno. This movement is justly famous as the composer’s love song to his wife. We last heard it played for Friends in 2011 by the Borodin Quartet, and this was discernible as a different approach, even separated by almost 14 years. This was attractive, direct, and clear playing, and it energized a welcoming January audience.
After the intermission, the choice was for more energy, with the group performing Beethoven’s String Quartet in F major, Opus 59 No 1 “Razumovsky”. This first of the composer’s middle quartets was given great architecture, passion with restraint, beauty and bite in the tone, keen attack and harmonious blends.
This is the first Vancouver appearance from this young and talented group, playing what were, back in the 1930s, Niccolo Paganini’s matched set of Stradivarius instruments, giving the audience a rare treat. Paganini may even have played both the Haydn and Beethoven quartets from this program back then with his friends on these same instruments.
In any case, the audience responded enthusiastically to this thoroughly modern artistic vision for the evening’s music, played on these insanely valuable and bright-toned instruments, with an energetic standing ovation. The applause and bravos brought the musicians back for an encore of Antonín Dvořák’s “Humoresque”, delicately and touchingly played. People left the hall buzzing about this concert. We can’t wait to bring them back!
