To the Wigmore Hall, to hear the Pavel Haas Quartet playing Shostakovich’s second and seventh string quartets in a lunchtime concert. PHQ are recording these plus the wonderful eighth quartet next month for Supraphon, with a planned October release. So they have been playing Shostakovich a lot in their recent concerts, and oh heavens it showed. These were stupendous performances with all PHQ’s usual commitment and passion but so much fine detail and immense control. The audience gave them a terrific reception — so a lot of smiles after all the tension in the music.
More than worth the journey to London to be there — for isn’t this music where you really want to be in the audience for the drama? But the concert was broadcast on BBC Radio 3. You can catch up on BBC Sounds here. And the concert will be broadcast again on Sunday on Radio 3 at 13.00.
There is a lengthy review here.