The Lark Quartet played a smashing concert of new music Sunday night (with lots of composers present!) at Merkin Hall in NYC.They premiered DBR's Fifth Quartet (in memory of Rosa Parks), and a new version of Paul Moravec's Atmosphera a Villa Aurelia.
1. Who knew Paul Moravec could get an audience to sing the 40s hit "I'll be seeing you..." the same night DBR got the audience to lay down a beat clapping their hands (handz) while discussing their pieces on stage (at different times mind you.)2. Stanley Silverman's arrangements of Gershwin songs are as skillful as they are charming - so in the hands of the Lark Quartet, they were in a word, perfect.
Kathryn (the violist) and Paul
3. The Lark Quartet plays music like their lives depend on it. They throw everything into their music making, and it shows, both in their interpretation and in their technique. The quartet is amazing well balanced; often you find a quartet with a few sparkling members and a few less so - not with the Lark Quartet. They are all consumate musicians and they also just happen to all be drop dead gorgeous.
4. First violinist Maria Bachmann very aptly mentioned during the course of the evening how hard Paul Moravec's music is to play technically, yet the examples heard on the concert were a tad more mellow. You can sample a bit of here (his Ariel Fantasy for violin and piano). Bachmann knows, because she's premiered so many of his works - I thought it was sweet, sorta funny and very perseptive for her to mention it. (The two works by Moravec on the program were sublime and very well received. No one, not even the performers wanted to break the magic of the notes after the Atmosphera.)5. DBR is the future of music. He blends classical with hip hop and good taste. His music is not only thoughtful but catchy. Kudos for the Lark Quartet in premiering AND recording this work.
[Klap UR Handz by the Lark Quartet is one of my top ten gifts for your holiday list this year. Read more.]
Author with the stunning Kathryn
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