The Beethoven Project, Part 2 – Elias String Quartet

The penultimate concert in this series included some of Beethoven’s most impassioned, tragic music which the Elias String Quartet’s vitality and mastery of dramatic contrast made into some very uplifting listening. The slow movement of Beethoven’s first quartet (The tomb scene of Romeo and Juliet) was quite heartbreaking. In comparison, in the op.29 Quintet (with guest violist Malin Broman) the sensuous Adagio seemed almost light-hearted and its last movement (The Storm) was exhilarating.

The op.132 Quartet’s Molto Adagio (Holy Song of Thanksgiving), which started sotto voce and with minimal vibrato, was sublime and we needed the remaining movements to recover.

The series concludes 23 May.

All Saints’ Church, Hove, 17 May 2014

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