In awe

How good was this! Quartetto di Fiesole was playing at the Villa Bardini. It’s one of a strange series of string concerts called Della Liuteria Tosacana tra ‘700 e ‘900. Each concert features one or more instrument built by a Tuscan luthier. This was a modern instrument, the final violin built by Lapo Casini in 1979. An upcoming concert features a five instruments set (2xviolins, contralto and tenor violas and cello) built in 1990 as a copy of the set built by Stradivarius for the Medici and now held in the L’Accademia here in Florence. Our instrument was played by the second violinist and was obvious and melodious but I didn’t notice any great particularity. Instruments sound different, but mostly due to the playing, and this playing was blissful all round. But then this was a truly spectacular performance from a spectacular quartet. It had me wondering about quality of musical performance in Europe but then I’ve seen lesser performers here, too. They played Webern Langsamer Satz, Schubert String quartet no.13 Amin Rosamunde, Debussy String quartet op.10 and Mozart String quartet no.15 K.421 minuet as an encore. But what dynamics and responsiveness between these players! The quartet was formed in 1988 and won prizes in the 1990s. They have studied, played and recorded widely, alone with accompanying others. They were in recess for fours years returning in late 2016, if I read the program correctly, with two new members (vln2, vla). I could only sit in awe at the voice they shared, passing glances and phrasing between members with an uncanny shared sense of internal dynamics and pauses and the rest. The space was hard with a small audience so the tones were loud and massively present. Their treatments of Schubert was indicative and the Mozart lovely and surprisingly emotional but the more modern intervals and harmonies and time feels of the Debussy floored me. I found myself closing eyes or rocking and sometimes chuckling to myself at the skills and beauty and intensity of this. Did I tell you I liked this group? We both did. Megan was equally in awe. So, it was a hike to the Villa Bardini with its view over Florence but no doubt it was worth it. We were in awe.

Quartetto di Fiesole performed Webern, Schubert, Dubussy and a little Mozart at the Villa Bardini above Florence. QdF comprised Alina Company and Simone Ferrari (violins), Flaminia Zanelli (viola) and Sandra Bacci (cello). Simone featured a violin built 1979 by Lapo Casini.