Pavel Haas Quartet, EIF music review: 'exhilaratingly joyous'

Pavel Haas Quartet ★★★★★

Queen’s Hall

It’s little wonder that the Pavel Haas Quartet keep being invited back by Edinburgh International Festival. Appearing at the Queen’s Hall yesterday morning on their seventh visit since 2008, they are a string quartet who play with the utmost skill, refinement and musicality.

In a programme that paid homage to their Czech roots as well as the Festival’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the USA, it was no doubt a must-have to include Dvořák’s Op 96, String Quartet No 12, the ‘American’. A piece that’s familiar ground for both musicians and audience, new subtlety and nuance captured its core with all of the four constantly attentive and totally tuned in to each other.

Less well known and deserving of being heard much more is Martinů’s String Quartet No 3, written in 1929 but sounding significantly more modern. With the cello positioned centrally, rather than on the outside, its opening plucked strings, side by side with resolute viola, were in sharp contrast to the scampering edginess of the two violins.

High-powered energy was exhilaratingly joyous as the Allegro led to the introspective Andante, before the final virtuosic Vivo, where the foursome nailed it with blend, balance and unanimity. Carol Main

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