The Citizen, August 18, 2013
CAPE TOWN -The Arianna String Quartet from the USA expertly performed three magnificent works for the Cape Town Concert Series on Saturday. The well-balanced program began with Mozart’s Quartet K.387, followed by Shostakovich Quartet No. 3 in F Major, Op. 73, and ended with Schubert's Quartet in D minor (Death and the Maiden).
The four players names were not in the printed program, and the violist introduced herself and her colleagues to the audience eloquently. As was the case with their previous visit in May 2011, the quartet's playing was characterized by flawless ensemble and excellent balance.
The sound of the 4 instruments blended beautifully, although there were passages where one instrument or another came to the fore with more important melodic material. These moments gave each individual the opportunity to demonstrate their technical proficiency and beautiful sound control.
The highlight of the evening was the Schubert Death and the Maiden quartet. This profound work in which death is such an important element is always an emotional experience that one is not likely to forget in a hurry, particularly if it is performed in as outstanding a manner as the Arianna String Quartet did on Saturday night.
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