Texas Classical Review

The Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth presented an inspired concert of top-notch string playing at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth on Saturday. The program consisted of a trio by Dvořák and string quintets by Mozart and Beethoven, performed by Danbi Um and Paul Huang on violins, Paul Neubauer and Michael Klotz on violas, and Edward Arron on cello, all sensitive high-caliber chamber players.

In contrast to programs given by established standard-instrumentation ensembles such as string quartets, rarely heard treats often result when ad-hoc groups explore chamber repertoire from “around the edges” of the standard fare.

The concert opened with Antonín Dvořák’s Terzetto, Op. 74 for two violins and viola, with Neubauer on viola. The first two movements are light and linked without pause.  The pair of violins played in wispy tones for most of these movements, and with large, wobbly vibrato that challenged discernibility of the pitches.  While all three players would eventually settle into warm timbres, Neubauer played with the clearest penetrating presence.  The second movement was well paced and buoyant, with the group’s long phrasings well matched.

Dvořák based his strident scherzo on a lively triple-meter Czech dance called a furiant. The pizzicato chords and spikey rhythmic effects were effective across all parts, as was the contrast with the lengthy lyrical trio section, played with sheen. Um’s tone was clearest in the theme-and-variations finale, with the players bringing out the immense variety of colors and textures among the variations.

Klotz and Arron joined the others to round out the instrumentation for Mozart’s Quintet in C minor K.406/K.416b, rearranged by the composer from his Serenade for wind octet, K.388. 

The light upper parts seemed immediately to be grounded by the addition of viola and cello.  Unfortunately, the large Romantic vibrato—inappropriate to the transparent clarity required of Mozart’s music—was mostly retained. Nevertheless, the CMSFW group’s energies and phrasings were effectively coordinated, with sounds very well balanced overall, including the pairs of violins and violas attuned to each other.

Solo passages in the second movement by Klotz and Arron were both polished.  Decisions on sparser vibrato in the violas and cello enhanced the rest of the piece, with Arron drawing out a rich, noble sound from his instrument.  The menuetto plodded, essentially shedding its dance nature, while the trio—for four instruments—was sinewy. 

In another variations final movement, the ensemble displayed great sensitivity to the spectrum of colors from Mozart’s imagination.  Arron was particularly fiery and precise in fast passages.  The final variation displayed the greatest dance-like spirit of the piece.

Beethoven completed his Quintet in C major, Op. 29 in 1802, not long after publishing Op. 18, his first string quartets.  With Huang on first violin and Klotz on first viola, this work featured the strongest ensemble playing.  Huang’s tone and direction were clearer for first violin.  His bow was fleet, his sonorities sweet throughout his range, and his vibrato more judicious.  The parallel octaves with Um sparkled.  Klotz solidly supported the high trios when his was the lowest-sounding part.

The delicate second movement contains some of Beethoven’s suavest writing.  Neubauer played with a ringing tone, keeping a steady underlying pulse, while Arron’s playing was nimble and Um was clear and elegant in her supporting role.

Performance of the scherzo movement was spirited, while Klotz shone in his solo passages during the trio section.  In the presto last movement, the ensemble crisply brought out all the parts in the fugato section, along with later soaring lyrical phrases. The group’s stirring performance was successful across the wide range of articulations and compositional styles.

The Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth’s next concert takes place January 4. The program includes Mozart’s “Kegelstatt” Piano Trio, K.498, Martinů’s Three Madrigals for Violin and Viola, and Robert Schumann’s Piano Quartet, Op. 47. cmsfw.org.