Cavaleri Quartet

Works by Mark-Anthony Turnage can discourage ticket sales, but pair him with ever-popular Tchaikovsky and you have a full house. The meticulous programme notes made it much easier to enjoy Turnage’s ‘Contusion’, an impassioned musical meditation on one of Sylvia Plath’s last poems. It makes extreme demands on the technique and sensibilities of the players, who rose to the challenges admirably and I found myself captivated by the piece.

Their gentle treatment of the folksy dance themes of Tchaikovsky’s Quartet No.1 made a charming contrast. This work is always a winner, especially when played with such care and musical precision.

Brighton Dome Studio Theatre, 19 May 2015

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