Here’s your classical Hot Ticket for the week of April 16, brought to you by CBC Radio 2’s In Concert.
Hot Ticket #1: Stunning Austrian string quartet arrives in Vancouver
Who: Quatuor Mosaïques
What: String quartets by Haydn, Mendelssohn and Schubert
When: Tuesday April 17 at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Vancouver Playhouse in Vancouver
Who will be there: Lovers of chamber music at its most sublime.
Why you should go:
This quartet is in a class of its own. It uses period instruments and only performs music from the classical and early romantic eras (mostly the 18th century), when the string quartet was in its heyday. So while its scope is narrow, the repertoire is rich, with masterpieces by Haydn, Schubert and Beethoven making up their daily diet. The use of gut strings and period bows makes their sound distinctive - more rounded and a little less piercing than you’ll experience with mainstream quartets. But what makes this quartet so compelling is that they truly aspire to making a “mosaic” out of the music with individual details in relief, while still giving a sense of the big picture.
Hot Ticket #2: Canada’s leading string quartet plays the nation’s capital
Who: The New Orford String Quartet with Guylaine Lemaire, viola, and Julian Armour, cello
What: String quartets by Mozart and Bartok and the Brahms String Sextet in B-flat minor
When: Wednesday April 18 at 8:00 p.m.
Where: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Ottawa
Who will be there: Lovers of chamber music that shimmers and shines.
Why you should go: With this program you’ll experience a different but equally appealing approach to string quartet playing. The New Orford Quartet, in business for only a few seasons, has become one of Canada’s hottest ensembles. The musicians, all front-desk players with the Toronto and Montreal Symphonies, have established a distinctive sound and identity in short order – crisp, brilliant and agile. Their first CD was nominated for a Juno as best classical recording of the year - not bad for a brand new group. For this concert they’ll be on their own in Mozart and Bartók, and will join Ottawa colleagues from the Chamber Players of Canada for a performance of the gorgeous Brahms String Sextet in B-flat minor.
Hot Ticket #3: My Favourite Mozart
Who: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony conducted by Edwin Outwater with Stephen Sitarski, violin, and Sara Davis Buechner, piano
What: Mozart’s greatest hits including the Piano Concerto No. 23, the Violin Concerto No. 1 and the Symphony No. 38 (“Prague”)
When: Friday April 20 and Saturday April 21 at 8 p.m.
Where: Centre in the Square, Kitchener, Ontario
Who will be there: Mozart mavens looking for a fix.
Why you should go: Because an evening listening to a wonderful orchestra play Mozart is an evening well spent. Plus this concert has the added bonus of two terrific soloists – Stephen Sitarski, the orchestra’s own concert master and a very fine soloist in his own right, and the redoubtable Sara Davis Buechner. This American-born pianist, now living in Vancouver and teaching at the University of British Columbia, has an impressive international career, and a beguiling way with Mozart.
Related links:
Calgary Opera celebrates 40 years of nurturing Canadian talent
Artist of the month: Jan Lisiecki releases Deutsche Grammophon debut