By Lyn Bronson

Although the printed program for the Carmel Music Society’s presentation of the Takács Quartet last night at Carmel’s Sunset Center probably confused more than a few members of the audience, nothing could take away from the grandeur and excitement of the performance itself.

Normally the page in the printed program listing the works to be played during the concert also identifies the players. Not here! We had to read through several pages of the long-winded blurb provided by the artist management describing the Quartet’s every significant performance, every significant award, every significant guest soloist, until way at the end of the blurb it mentions that violinist Edward Dusinberre joined the ensemble in 1993, and violist Geraldine Walther replaced violist Roger Tapping in 2005. The notes tell us that of the original ensemble only Károly Schranz and Andras Fejér remain, but don’t tell us who plays which instrument. The Internet came to my rescue, however, since Musical America Online, identified Károly Schranz as playing second violin, and Andras Fejér as playing cello.

Now that we have identified “who was who” and “who played what,” much needs to be said about the glorious playing. Kicking off the evening was a magnificent performance of Haydn’s String Quartet in F Major, Op.77, No. 2. The playing, with a minor boost from the acoustical amplification system at Sunset Center, sounded glorious. We heard full-bodied rich and passionate playing, mixed of course with Haydn’s logical linear progressions and witty surprises. The extraordinary development section of the Quartet’s first movement made a powerful effect as its thematic lines were boldly stated and rhythmic elements were clearly articulated. The sparkling Menuet was dazzling and the finale was a “knock ‘em dead, take no prisoners!” tour de force in which the players managed to achieve fantastic control at breakneck tempos.

The next item on the program was Bartók’s String Quartet No. 2. This is a work connoisseurs consider to be one of Bartók’s greatest masterpieces. Although there is much to admire in his imaginative challenges to the musical order that preceded him and his bold innovations, I kept waiting for something to happen, and for me the earth didn’t move. Cellist Andras Fejér suffered the indignity of hearing one of his strings snap during the final movement. Although some avant-garde music groups today might stage  such an event to add spice to an otherwise listless performance, that was certainly not the case here. but rather an accident of little consequence to Mr. Fejér, who seemed able to cope with anything. It didn’t faze him a bit, and he continued to produce the same quality of vibrant sound.

The concluding work on the program was Schumann’s String Quartet, Op. 41, No. 1, and it was a winner!  It was also amazing that at times Schumann’s two presto movements sounded so much like presto movements written by Mendelssohn. The soulful Adagio reminded us that Schumann was one of the great Lieder composers of the nineteenth century, especially as cellist Fejér (having tuned his replacement string umpteen times so that it was staying in tune nicely) treated us to a lovely solo at the beginning of the movement. There was lots of beautiful repartee between the instruments that made this movement charming and utterly absorbing. The final Rondo was off the charts — it has to be one of the great finales in the string quartet repertoire. When Schumann decided to write a fugue, he proved that he didn’t need to take a back seat to anyone. The way the assorted entrances skipped from one musician to another (not always finishing before the next interruption) evolved into a tag team relay match, and it was delightful.

An appreciative audience gave the musicians a rousing standing ovation.

End