Brucknerhaus: Sensational Jerusalem Quartet

Concerts with the Jerusalem Quartet are among the most impressive moments that one can experience in the current concert scene and go far beyond Goethe’s quote about the witty conversation between four musicians. So on Thursday the first performance of one of the best chamber music formations in the Brucknerhaus was probably a completely ordinary evening for the four men – perhaps a little unusual because the hall was not even half full. Simply a sensation for the enthusiastic listeners.

Dynamic unit

This string quartet has existed since 1996 and has had this line-up since 2011, so Alexander Pavlovsky, Sergei Bresler (violins), Ori Kam (viola) and Kyril Zlotnikov (cello) play together perfectly and, despite all their individuality, form an ensemble of admirable sound and, above all rhythmic-dynamic unity. This was the case with the five pieces for string quartet by Erwin Schulhoff (1923), where they completely convincingly captured the morbid touch of the newly collapsed Danube Monarchy in the stylized dance movements honed with a fine blade of humor. The first string quartet by Bedrich Smetana, which is heavily interwoven with autobiographical moments, is no less intensely musical and forms a gripping life drama. It was impressive how the four men played deeply moving music in an ideal balance between ensemble playing and fine, almost solo performance. Already at the break there was great enthusiasm, which increased to overwhelming cheers after the brilliant interpretation of Dmitri Shostakovich’s 2nd Quartet op. 68. The second movement is simply stunning. It can be lengthy in its stoic structure, but here it becomes a moving event.

The four said goodbye to the enthusiastic audience with “Allegretto pizzicato” from Béla Bartók’s 4th String Quartet.

Conclusion: Quartet art in almost supernatural dimensions.