Despite the lack of works by Gabriel Fauré on the program, the Fauré Quartett (aptly named for the French composer) impressed with their remarkable playing in a well-balanced recital for the Montreal Ladies’ Morning Musical Club on March 16. This German quartet has been performing together for 30 years with the same founding members from 1995. The group consists of typical piano quartet instruments: piano (Dirk Mommertz), violin (Erika Geldsetzer), viola (Sascha Frömbling), and cello (Konstantin Heidrich).
What you missed
The Fauré Quartett’s repertoire has developed a “visionary, experimental” style as per the program notes, with the group playing many works from Romantic era composers. They also delve into more modern pop songs, for which they released a fittingly titled album called Popsongs in 2009. For the afternoon’s performance, they chose to play three piano quartets: Johannes Brahms’ Piano Quartet No. 3, Antonín Dvořák’s Piano Quartet No. 2, and perhaps lesser-known, Mélanie Hélène (Mel) Bonis’ Piano Quartet No. 1.
Bonis’ quartet piece started with the viola and piano, the other strings joining in a gentle fugal introduction. The first Moderato movement in B-flat major was melodic, leading into a flowy Intermezzo movement with bright piano highlights floating above the strings. The Andante third movement featured lush harmonics and sweet resolutions. The Fauré Quartett picked up the pace slightly in the final movement, which was heavily dotted with syncopations, pizzicato, interjections on the offbeats, and a noticeable intensity.
The last minute of the piece reminded me of elements from East-Asian opera, sparking curiosity about other non-European influences Bonis may have drawn upon for this piece. Fellow French composer Camille Saint-Saëns famously remarked, “I never imagined a woman could write such music!” upon hearing it. Well, despite the darker and more unpredictable feel of the last movement, the quartet was able to evoke incredible romanticism — if not a distinct femininity — from the score.
In contrast, Brahm’s piano quartet was more startling and rough. The piece opened with a single fierce piano chord, Mommertz nearly rising from the bench as he pushed down on the keys. The strings’ descending minor 2nd intervals set a sombre tone, the piano echoing before they all broke out in a controlled but forceful segment. This piece showcased the Fauré Quartett’s teamwork, each member building on the others.
After the turbulent first movement, the second movement kicked off with a jittery piano solo, then a quieter section by the strings, and then again the variation on the piano. In the Andante movement, the piano took a backseat to accompany a tender cello solo. Heidrich was then joined in harmony by Geldsetzer on the violin for a heartbreaking and tender duet, followed by the final animated movement ending in a lively sweep of the bows.
(L to R) Erika Geldsetzer, Dirk Mommertz, Sascha Frömbling, and Konstantin Heidrich. Photo: Tim Kloecker
The final quartet from Dvořák was equally energetic, the three strings showing great dynamic range in the first movement with a noticeable galloping offbeat dance that gradually intensified. The second Lento movement was lyrical and peaceful, filling the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall with a relaxed and tranquil atmosphere. The waltz-like third movement took on a more jovial feel with Geldsetzer and Frömbling’s charming duet before driving the quartet forward and then pulling back repeatedly.
The final movement began with a jaunty nine-note melody, repeated incessantly throughout the finale. Frömbling was highlighted more in this movement, the viola leading minor passages that were echoed or harmonized by the violin and cello. The last few notes of the piece were poignant — a dramatic and punchy cadence.
Gripes
The Fauré Quartett played such a beautiful concert that it was difficult to find much fault, especially with a program with which I am less familiar. There was perhaps not enough variation in tempos in Bonis’ piano quartet across its movements. Additionally, fellow audience members must have questioned at some point during the performance just how many of the cellist’s bow strings could or should be shredding. One or two, perhaps, but this seemed to be quite a common occurrence and was even more noticeable post-intermission.
Heidrich handled the situation professionally and with good humour, putting on a small show at the end of Dvořák’s first movement in his removal of all the frayed strands. Still, I wonder if the loose hairs may have contributed to the occasional scratchy sounds or the few sudden percussive clacks I heard in the second half.
Overall, the Fauré Quartett performed outstandingly. They were superb in pushing their dynamic range together while being in refined control, particularly in listening to each other and ensuring no single instrument was fighting for dominance. Each member understood the music deeply and how to best tap into each piece’s mood and narrative. The concert was similarly emotional and fascinating, with their 30 years of experience evident in the effortless quality of their performance.
Unrelated but notable were the fascinating program notes: instead of a translation, the French and English versions seemed to offer entirely distinct perspectives on the same pieces, each highlighting different aspects of the music such as music technicalities, historical-political backgrounds, and influence. While neither was inherently better than the other, they approached the works from unique angles, providing complementary yet contrasting insights that would be missed by anyone zeroing in on only one language of choice.
For more on the Ladies’ Morning Musical Club season visit www.lmmc.ca
