Colin Eatock, composer
  • Home
  • About Colin Eatock
  • Composing
  • Catalogue of works
  • Media
  • Writing about music
  • Eatock Daily (blog)
  • New and upcoming
  • Contact me

New Orford String Quartet plays Beethoven

11/10/2015

5 Comments

 
PictureNew Orford String Quartet.
is review originally appeared on the Classical Voice North America website.

Almost all the best professional string quartets in North America are based at universities. The members of the Emersons teach at Stony Brook, the Brentanos are at Yale, the St. Lawrences at Stanford, the Mirós at UT Austin – and the list goes on.

So it’s unusual to encounter a top-notch quartet that isn’t connected with a college music department. Yet that’s the New Orford String Quartet. This Canadian chamber group is made up of two members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (concertmaster Jonathan Crow and associate principal viola Eric Nowlin) and two members of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (concertmaster Andrew Wan and principal cellist Brian Manker).


The name “Orford” may ring bells for veteran chamber-music enthusiasts. The original Orford String Quartet was founded in 1965 at the Orford Arts Centre in Quebec, and soon attached itself to the University of Toronto. The ensemble toured extensively – more than 2,000 concerts on six continents – and was widely regarded as Canada’s foremost string quartet. It disbanded in 1991.

Taking the name New Orford String Quartet (with the blessing of the “old” Orford musicians), the new ensemble also got its start at the Orford Arts Centre, in 2009. However, unlike their namesakes, the New Orford players haven’t devoted themselves to chamber music only: their quartet performances have been infrequent, and it has taken them a few years to become widely known. With chairs in two orchestras separated by about 300 miles, it’s a challenge for the quartet to schedule rehearsals and concerts.

The New Orfords have recorded Beethoven’s Quartet in F, Op. 135, for Bridge Records, as well as works by Schubert and Brahms, and on the Naxos label they have captured works by Canadian composer Jacques Hétu. Recent American engagements have taken the New Orfords to the Washington, D.C., Philips Collection, to Chicago, Dallas and Santa Fe. The quartet will travel to Westchester, N.Y., in December, Palm Beach, Fla., in January, and will perform in Toronto and Hamilton, Ont., in February.

On Nov. 4, they put their formidable abilities on display in an all-Beethoven program in the University of Toronto’s Walter Hall. Their poised balance was always in flux, with subtle adjustments made to artfully bring out one instrument, then another. They blended well, and their playing was bright, lively, and often edgy. Perhaps the quartet’s most striking virtue was its ability to turn a musical idea on a dime – to make a sudden, unified shift in dynamics, tempo, and other parameters. This is a very nimble string quartet.

First up was the Quartet in C, Op. 59, No. 3, with Wan in the first violin chair. Its introduction was slow and sustained before it took off at a lively gait. This was clever playing, marked by flashes of intensity that would quickly and playfully evaporate. The second movement was a steady, relentless flow, predominantly dark in tone, but with sunny episodes. By contrast, the third movement was light and airy. And in the fugato, the players dug into their parts with gusto, in a tight performance.

For the Quartet in B-flat, Op. 130, Crow took the first violin chair. There was stateliness in the first movement and comical vividness in the second. By contrast, the third movement was rather pedestrian, and the fourth movement was marred by affected hairpin dynamics. The fifth movement fared better: It was warm, sweet, and introspective.

The problematic aspects of Op. 130 foreshadowed problems in the Grosse Fuge – played, as it often is, as the original sixth movement of Op. 130. To be sure, the musicians displayed complete technical mastery of the piece. But large swaths were played with a distorting brutality. This seemed to suggest that the players lacked faith in Beethoven’s notes and felt the need to force the music.

It seems that the New Orford members are as sincerely committed to orchestral playing as they are to chamber music, and I doubt they’ll be leaving their day jobs any time soon. For this reason, their performances are rare, special occasions. They are a remarkable ensemble that belies the assumption that a string player can’t be both an orchestral musician and a quartettiste.


© Colin Eatock 2015
5 Comments
gold IRA home storage link
1/6/2025 08:44:00 am

Gold IRA Home Storage refers to the practice of storing physical gold, such as coins or bars, that are held within a Gold Individual Retirement Account (IRA) at a private residence rather than in an approved depository. While it offers more direct control over the precious metals, home storage of a Gold IRA is not allowed under IRS rules for IRA custodians. The IRS mandates that precious metals in an IRA must be stored in an approved, secure depository to ensure compliance and protection.

Reply
dried poppies link
4/28/2025 03:52:37 pm

Fresh poppy pods are the seed pods that are harvested from the poppy flower. Poppies are known for their beautiful flowers, but it’s their seed pods that are of the most value. These pods contain the seeds for the next crop and, when dried, they are frequently used in floral arrangements and other decorative crafts. By using fresh poppy pods, you can take your art to the next level as it gives a natural and pleasant look to your creations.

Reply
maine coon kittens for sale under $1000 link
4/28/2025 03:53:14 pm

Our journey began with a simple, irresistible love for Maine Coon kittens for sale. Today, we operate under the brand name “Adorable Claw”, proudly pitting ourselves as one of the credible and well-established breeders in the industry. At our core, we specialize in the sale of superior quality, pedigree Maine Coon kittens, distinguishing ourselves through our passion, commitment, and exceptional standards.

Reply
Buy magic mushrooms link
4/28/2025 03:53:42 pm

We live in a rapid world where the development of technology is faster than the creative development of mankind. This causes a rigid view of the world that leads to tunnel vision, a lot of misunderstanding, and problems. Buy magic mushrooms

Reply
rijbewijs kopen link
4/28/2025 03:54:03 pm

Suchen Sie nicht weiter als unter https://legaldocumentseu.com/ , Ihre Go-to-Quelle für Premium-Fälschungen, Führerscheine Kosten und IDs.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Eatock Daily

    I'm a composer based in Toronto – and this is my classical music blog, Eatock Daily.

    When I first started blogging, Eatock Daily was a place to re-post the articles I wrote for Toronto’s Globe and Mail and National Post newspapers, the Houston Chronicle, the Kansas City Star and other publications.

    But now I have stepped back from professional music journalism, and I'm spending more time composing.

    These days, my blog posts are infrequent, and are mostly concerned with my own music. However, I do still occasionally post comments on musical topics, including works I've discovered, enjoyed, and wish to share with others.


    – CE

    Archives

    April 2025
    August 2024
    May 2024
    March 2024
    October 2023
    March 2022
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    June 2020
    September 2019
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    Index

    Click here for an alphabetical list of blog entries.

    RSS Feed

    Follow colineatock on Twitter
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.