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| Microcosmos Quartet - 2 November 2023 |
György Ligeti - Quartet No. 1 ‘Metamorphoses Nocturnes’ (1953-54)
Erwin Schulhoff - Five Pieces for String Quartet (1923)
Antonín Dvořák - Two Waltzes, Op. 54
Marc Destrubé - violin
Andrea Siradze- violin
Tawnya Popoff - viola
Hannagh Addario-Berry - cello
Nothing much was happening in my life on November 2, the Mexican Day of the Dead. My graphic designer friend Graham Walker and I decided to go to a house concert of the Microcosmos Quartet.
We arrived early. We were able to find our seats on the first row. Unlike most Canadians, Walker (a Scotsman) and me (an Argentine) we never sit in the middle of the middle.
Years ago I learned to sit at the front row for ballet and modern dance so I could hear the dancers breathe. This time around we heard plenty (but no breathing).
Both of us were about 4 feet from where violinist Marc Destrubé sat. Walker was enough on the left that he could see (Walker can read music) Destrubé’s sheet music.
From our vantage point we observed all the magical stuff that cellist Hannah Addario-Berry was doing particularly in the György Ligeti String Quartet No.1. I was afraid her strings would break. They didn’t!
What this house concert taught me is that had I heard most of the program on a CD while comfortably sitting in my living room with a mug of strong tea, I would not have enjoyed it.
For this concert it was paramount to watch the musicians play and at close quarters we could see how the sounds were being made.
Marc Destrubé's Microcosmos Quartet shows that he and his group refuse to depend on their pastss laurels ( that Walker and I were present twice for their playing of all(6) Bélla Bartók Quartets.Including . They challenge themselves and us, the audience, to new sounds even if they are from a distant past. In our Vancouver, a city with a poor memory, the past is mostly forgotten.
For the house concert held at the residence of Beth Carter and Bob Baker we were given lots of goodies and wine.
The concert was the first in the series. The others will be held:
Friday November 3, 7:30pm
House concert - Mascall/Macfarlane residence, West Vancouver
11 seats available
Saturday November 4, 7:30pm
House concert - The Blue House (Matthews residence), Mt. Pleasant, East Vancouver
2 seats available
Sunday November 5, 7:30pm
House concert - Gotfrit/Gruben residence, near Vancouver City Hall
5 seats available
György Ligeti - Quartet No. 1 ‘Metamorphoses
Nocturnes’ (1953-54)
Erwin Schulhoff - Five Pieces for String Quartet (1923)
Antonín Dvořák - Two Waltzes, Op. 54
