As a member of the Garth Newel Piano Quartet, I am often on stage in Herter Hall. Last weekend, I had the pleasure of being an audience member for a change. The Parker String Quartet has been coming to Garth Newel in the summers, on and off, for about a half dozen years. Their friendship with the GNPQ and love of the food and scenery keep them coming back – and we are so lucky for it! Formed in 2002, the Quartet serves as Artists-in-Residence and Professors at Harvard University. They bring maturity to the string quartet repertoire and are universally recognized as one of the finest string quartets of their generation. And add a GRAMMY® win for their Naxos, debut recording of the Ligeti String Quartets to their names – needless to say, I was eagerly awaiting their performances again this 2024 summer season.
Saturday night’s concert started with a sublime performance of excerpts from Bach’s The Art of the Fugue. The Quartet’s attention to detail and clarity of playing allowed each voice to come through, and a simplicity and an ease of understanding of this rather complex work took shape in my mind from the start. In addition to their performances at Garth Newel, the Parker Quartet is also engaged to work with our Emerging Artist Fellows each summer. Their commitment to the fine aspects of string quartet playing and experience with the repertoire that they bring to our students is training I would have sought out as a student myself. The Emerging Artists commented on the precision the Parkers have and the spirits alive in each member of the group that make their performances so dynamic and satisfying – it truly is awe-inspiring to witness them in-person and in such an intimate hall as ours. The Four Quarters by Thomas Adès ended the first half. Say what you will of the piece, which might take a few listens through to get a sense of it, the sheer number of notes and amount of focus required to execute this demanding work was jaw-dropping. Each player showed agility to rival the best gymnasts in the world (coincidentally the Paris Olympics were on later that night)!
The evening ended with Bartók’s 4th String Quartet, a Tour-de-Force and staple of the string quartet repertoire. The chance to hear a seasoned string quartet perform such a work is truly a privilege we don’t often get. I think what is so special about chamber music is that it’s impressive enough to see a high-level performer dazzle you, but experiencing multiple musicians in lockstep with one another is exponentially more thrilling and captivating. The Parkers demonstrate this at every turn, and it only makes me want to hear them more and more.
They weren’t done! The Parker Quartet delighted us with another program Sunday afternoon with works by Zemlinsky, Vijay Iyer, and Beethoven. The Zemlinsky was quite reminiscent of Brahms (Zemlinsky was a protege of his), romantic and stirring. The Iyer, Mozart Effects, took an unfinished quartet by Mozart, just a fragment of his music, and swirled it around with a modern-day twist – rather exciting and impressive. Then came Beethoven. The first of his late string quartets which have challenged every musician since their composition, Op. 127 is a feat to perform. The Parkers brought a solemn and reverent sensibility and guided us through this monumental work tenderly at times but with a sternness Beethoven often expresses due to his many unfortunate life circumstances; he was completely deaf by the time he wrote this work. As part of the Parker’s 20th anniversary together (2022-2023 season), they embarked on a project called The Beethoven Project, performing and recording the entire Beethoven Cycle (all 16 string quartets). What a boon to hear a mature quartet in its prime perform these great masterworks!
Needless to say, I’m a fan of the Parker Quartet and will look forward to their performances here next summer – yes, they are coming back in 2025! Their commitment to the music, each other, and the art form is inspiring. We selfishly hope a little of whatever they have rubs off on us all when they are here!
– Fitz
P.S. Not mentioned above, the exceptional food after each performance served by Chef Josh and his team was perfectly paired with the Parker’s musical menu. The food requires another article of its own.
