WESTFÄLISCHE NACHRICHTEN SPLENDID CONCERT IN THE KNIGHT'S HALL November 15, 2005 By Johannes Hasenkamp Vivacity and high energy are two of the essential characteristics of the Pacifica String Quartet, which enchanted its audience in the Knight’s Hall of Loburg Castle (Ostbevern) on Sunday. After playing in London, they gave three concerts in Germany – in Warstein, Stuttgart and Ostbevern. Keep an eye on this group! (Simin Ganatra and Sibbi Bernhardsson, violins; Masumi Per Rostad, viola; Brandon Vamos, cello). Their name comes from the Pacific Ocean, where they held their first concerts on the American west coast. The centerpiece of this remarkable concert was the challenging String Quartet No. 5 of Elliott Carter, who is virtually unknown here. He was born in New York in 1908 and wrote the piece in 1995 when he was nearly 87. Those who expected a quiet, contemplative, enlightened late work were astounded. Twelve sections—six movements with interludes—for a total of over 20 minutes were played without a pause, the transitions discernible only with the greatest of concentration. Initially the work appeared as organized chaos, opening with single sharp tones from individual instruments that only occasionally came together in short segments of conventional quartet work. Extremely long segments, many szforzandi, a continuous pummeling with explosive notes, melodic fragments rather than full themes, isolated tones, mutating soundscapes alternating with moments of exuberance, constant contrasts in which even lyric segments were not absent. It was fascinating to experience how Carter draws individual notes into relationships and exciting the way the entire piece is bound together. Spontaneous applause rewarded these musicians who were so intimately familiar with this music. The evening began conventionally with the String Quartet Opus 71 No.2 by the 61-year old Haydn, a tried and true opener. But that is as far as convention went. The musicians of the Pacifica presented the Sturm and Drang of the mature master with youthful verve: a powerful opening Adagio, an effervescent Allegro, rhythmically animated Cantabile, and stirring Presto movements. The four musicians did full justice to the admirable melodic and harmonic richness of a great maestro with their well-tempered delight in playing and exquisite “piano” sections. They made the performance a special occasion. Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet in D Major Opus 11 begins with a Moderato movement, but there was nothing moderate in their interpretation. With full, lush tones and almost aggressive density the Pacifica Quartet gave new dimensions to the movement. By contrast, the Andante Cantabile, which is often rendered with too much emotion bordering at times on kitsch, was delivered with both fervor and tenderness. Here Simin Ganatra’s quiet, intense playing was particularly captivating. In the last movement she asserted her jubilant and forceful voice amidst the others. The work was enriched by the youthful, engaged, fresh-sounding performing style of the Pacifica, giving it new accents. This program would certainly have more than satisfied, but the four musicians topped the evening off with the high-spirited virtuosity of “Four for Tango”, a very American version of the dance full of glissandi and percussive strokes. Fabulous!