You can see that the younger generations love playing this piece, particularly Allegro Molto. Good thing it's the last movement, it takes a lot of energy. I've been absolutely astounded by this movement since I first heard it in 1972 when I was 14 on my college radio station WUSF. What a powerful piece of music! Why the hell is this Hungarian guy who wrote this piece in 1928 playing Progressive Rock decades before its time? I've heard Shostakovich, Ravel and Janacek et al, but this Hungarian dude just kicks ass, and where is the folk music influence? I didn't catch it. I wasn't surprised when I found out that Robert Fripp of King Crimson was a big fan of this string quartet. I wanted to give it the Prog Rock treatment like Emerson, Lake and Palmer and arranged it for synths, electric bass, drums, etc. But as I dove into the score it proved more challenging than I thought. The Leonkoro Quartet does it justice because they're very talented and feel the music like Bartok intended.
Fantastic performance of my favourite Bartok quartet. The driving rhythmic momentum of the fifth movement was especially powerful and beautifully judged. Four great musicians. Very well done.
I adore this quartet and dream of playing it. It requires so much work that performances are usually very good and this is no exception and perhaps a bit better than very good.
This wonderfully-crafted performance follows the stylistic template laid out by the Juilliard String Quartet in the Mann / Cohen / Hillyer / Adam configuration. Their recorded interpretation, from the early 1970s, revolutionized both how we hear Bartók and what we expect of a top-flight string quartet-and this is certainly an excellent ensemble. The comment I would make is one of character; it is that Bartók wrote a wedding dance here-but today it’s almost always put across as a war dance. To listen to Bartók’s own performances as a pianist is to realize his lineage is not at all that of a Liszt-style barn burner, but of a very refined, classic performative tradition. The problem is, we have then a situation that pits the composer’s intentions against the performers’ ability to leave an audience tingling with an extraordinary visceral experience. Which is more important? That’s a philosophical decision.
I'm sure this music is very complex, both in its rythm and harmony, very intense and emotional, but sense of beauty is far from the emotions it evokes. Even pain, anxiety and death can be exalted by art, as Schubert told us in his most famous quartet.
Why are the performers standing? The effect is strange for an ensemble, as if they think they are a marching band. There is no compelling reason for going against centuries of seated performance history for this affected nonsense.
They are standing because they chose to stand. When you perform this well, you are free to choose whether to play sitting, standing, or in a semi-recumbent position.
You can see that the younger generations love playing this piece, particularly Allegro Molto. Good thing it's the last movement, it takes a lot of energy. I've been absolutely astounded by this movement since I first heard it in 1972 when I was 14 on my college radio station WUSF. What a powerful piece of music! Why the hell is this Hungarian guy who wrote this piece in 1928 playing Progressive Rock decades before its time? I've heard Shostakovich, Ravel and Janacek et al, but this Hungarian dude just kicks ass, and where is the folk music influence? I didn't catch it. I wasn't surprised when I found out that Robert Fripp of King Crimson was a big fan of this string quartet. I wanted to give it the Prog Rock treatment like Emerson, Lake and Palmer and arranged it for synths, electric bass, drums, etc. But as I dove into the score it proved more challenging than I thought. The Leonkoro Quartet does it justice because they're very talented and feel the music like Bartok intended.
Insane virtuosity. Phenomenal performance of what may be my favorite streichquartette
14:44 maybe the cleanest I’ve seen that cello legato played… amazing
Fantastic performance of my favourite Bartok quartet. The driving rhythmic momentum of the fifth movement was especially powerful and beautifully judged. Four great musicians. Very well done.
So good. Not only supremely competent and fluent but vital with understanding and enjoyment.
I adore this quartet and dream of playing it. It requires so much work that performances are usually very good and this is no exception and perhaps a bit better than very good.
Incredible performance! Every line is beautifully articulated, and the harmonic textures are so full and balanced. Bravo.
One of the very best performances of one of my favorite pieces! Congratulations!
Really fantastic performance of such intricate and original music! Bravo!
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼Greetings from Turkey, see you tomorrow ♥🕗
Excellent performance! Everything sounds wonderful! What a great musicians all of you are! Great job! 😍🤩
This wonderfully-crafted performance follows the stylistic template laid out by the Juilliard String Quartet in the Mann / Cohen / Hillyer / Adam configuration. Their recorded interpretation, from the early 1970s, revolutionized both how we hear Bartók and what we expect of a top-flight string quartet-and this is certainly an excellent ensemble. The comment I would make is one of character; it is that Bartók wrote a wedding dance here-but today it’s almost always put across as a war dance. To listen to Bartók’s own performances as a pianist is to realize his lineage is not at all that of a Liszt-style barn burner, but of a very refined, classic performative tradition. The problem is, we have then a situation that pits the composer’s intentions against the performers’ ability to leave an audience tingling with an extraordinary visceral experience. Which is more important? That’s a philosophical decision.
This is so beautiful!
Excellent.
Congratulations!
Wunderbar !
I'm sure this music is very complex, both in its rythm and harmony, very intense and emotional, but sense of beauty is far from the emotions it evokes.
Even pain, anxiety and death can be exalted by art, as Schubert told us in his most famous quartet.
Metal
Anybody else think that Amelie Wallner has sort of a Sylvie Guillem look about her?
Why are the performers standing? The effect is strange for an ensemble, as if they think they are a marching band. There is no compelling reason for going against centuries of seated performance history for this affected nonsense.
They are standing because they chose to stand. When you perform this well, you are free to choose whether to play sitting, standing, or in a semi-recumbent position.