Snow Concert Hall, Red Hill September 28
Reviewed by Len Power
It was a bittersweet evening as this concert was a farewell performance by the Goldner String Quartet. First formed in 1995 and named after Richard Goldner, founder of Musica Viva Australia, the founding members of the group are still together 30 years later.
Dene Olding, violin, Dimity Hall, violin, Irina Morozova, viola and Julian Smiles, cello played three masterpieces from the string quartet repertoire – works by Robert Schumann, Carl Vine and Franz Schubert.
The concert commenced with Robert Schumann’s Quartet No. 3 in A major, Op.41 No. 3. Composed in 1842 it was the last string quartet that he wrote. It was followed by the 1994 Quartet No. 3 by Australia’s Carl Vine and Franz Schubert’s Quartet in C minor D810, Death and the Maiden, composed in 1824, was the last work on the program.
As expected, the Quartet gave each of these very different works a superb performance. The clarity of their playing brought out additional depth and colour in the works and it was almost like hearing them for the first time. The exciting finale of the Schumann was especially well played, as was the well-known third movement of the Schubert work. Their playing of all three parts of Carl Vine’s Quartet was electrifying.
Goldner String Quartet
Violinist, Dene Olding, gave short informative introductions to each of the works. With his dry humour he mentioned that, although this was Canberra’s farewell performance by the Quartet, they might “do a Nellie Melba”. We can only hope!
Photo by Peter Hislop
This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 29 September 2024.
Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.
