Down in the dimly lit basement venue of Stereo on Renfield Lane, we were treated to an atmospheric evening of string quartet repertoire (punctuated by the occasional sound of running water from the buildings old pipes!).
The evening started with a wonderful performance of the Lutoslawski string quartet and after a brief interval, we listened to Caroline Shaw’s Valencia, which fizzed with ecstasy and joy. Named after the Valencia Orange, the piece captured the simple beauty of the fruit deliciously! This was then followed by previous podcast guest Rufus Isobel Elliots’ brand new quartet “The way we cupped our hands and how the water ran through our fingers and down to the sea (w.p)”
This beautiful and haunting piece was slow and poignant, composed of subtle harmonic developments created with microtonal chords (quarter-tones AND eighth tones we were informed by Rufus!) The piece seamlessly moved between each little moment, exploring the more intimate and inward soundscapes of the string quartet, creating an atmosphere that was both comforting and unsettling all at the same time. At points, time seemed suspended as we waited with bated breath for the next shift in harmony.
George Crumb’s incredible "Black Angel" concluded the concert with a palette of unique and unusual sounds featuring the ethereal sound of bowed wine glasses, percussive tam-tams and intense vocalisations.
Make sure to check out up-and-coming concerts and releases over at The Night With… website.
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