Skampa String Quartet
by
Lyn Bronson
Pavel Fischer, Jana Lukáŝová, violist Radim Sedmídubsk and cellist Peter
Jaruŝek
So far this season, Chamber Music Monterey Bay has been
batting 1000. Coming on the heels of its highly successful Halloween night
presentation of La Pietŕ, imagine our pleasure in discovering that its
second presentation of the Skampa String Quartet on Friday November 14 at
Carmel’s Sunset Center was another hands down winner.
This remarkable young quartet is composed of violinists
Pavel Fischer and Jana Lukáŝová, violist Radim Sedmídubsk and cellist Peter
Jaruŝek. When the musicians strolled out on stage all dressed in black from head
to toe, they almost looked like the bad guys in a martial arts film — however
the presence of the glamorous Ms. Lukáŝová immediately dispelled that
impression.
The program began with the Samuel Barber String Quartet, a
work we rarely hear in concert, although the second movement in its augmented
orchestral version, “Adagio for Strings,” is one of the landmarks of 20th
century music. To hear it in its original version for quartet was a refreshing
experience, yet it reminded us why we tend to prefer the arrangement, for there
is considerably more intensity when performed by a larger ensemble. However,
what we did hear on this occasion was a heightened intimacy, a lovely controlled
tension and a remarkable serenity at its conclusion. The other two movements
were beautifully played, but paled in comparison to the slow movement.
The program continued with Prokofiev’s Quartet No. 1, Op.
50, another work we rarely hear. Instead of the usual ironic satire that we so
often observe in Prokofiev’s works, this quartet exhibits unusual depths of
emotion and a remarkable serene beauty in the second theme of the first
movement. We heard some magnificent ensemble playing here, with violinists
Fischer and Lukáŝová both having important roles.
Christňpheren Nomura
The next work on the program, a California Central Coast
premiere, was Sylvie Bodorova’s “Terezin Ghetto Requiem,” in three movements,
entitled Lacrymosa, Dies Irae and Libera me. This work is an elegy
to the persecution in a World War II concentration camp at Terezin near Prague
and is dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust. This work features an
important part for a baritone, on this occasion sung by the distinguished
Christňpheren Nomura, an artist familiar to us all from his many appearances
with the Carmel Bach Festival. We heard in Bodorova’s score imaginative writing
for strings — combining a striking harmonic language, impressive use of
harmonics and powerful rhythmic interest that expressed anger and anguish. The
extraordinary ensemble playing by Skampa was impressive, and Mr. Nomura’s
singing was intense and heartfelt. The use of both Catholic and Jewish texts
tended to reflect the contrast between two cultures, and we had to marvel at how
expressive Mr. Nomura was in these two styles. In the first movement we heard
some gorgeous playing from cellist Peter Jaruŝek — this was totally captivating.
A bittersweet flavor of grief and reconciliation permeated the final movement,
Libera me, giving it a deeply moving testament to those who suffered so
undeservedly.
The concert ended with Smetana’s String Quartet in E Minor,
“From my Life,” Op. 116. Once again we heard a level of precise, magnificent
ensemble playing that would be the envy of any musicians. That they did it
effortlessly goes without saying, and this brings up an important aspect of
Skampa’s playing. These young musicians are masters of a wide variety of styles,
and their technical skills permit them to achieve remarkable levels of
intensity, yet they never force their tone, even in the most climatic passages.
What truly impressed us in this concert was the wonderful musicality and
freshness of their playing. Each of them is a magnificent musician in their own
right — have I ever heard more beautiful viola playing than we heard from Radim
Sedmídubsk in the first movement of the Smetana?
Concerning the acoustics of the newly renovated Sunset
Center, I wondered whether Sunset Center’s sound enhancement was used, because
in the second half of the concert I was aware that the sound from superb
cellist, Peter Jaruŝek, seemed to be coming from the left wall rather than from
center stage.
In any case, this was one of the finest quartet
performances we have ever heard.
