Reviews for Orava Quartet ‘Czech Fantasy’ tour in October 2018
Limelight Magazine: “Sharply-dressed and full of interpretive insight, the Orava Quartet has earned its emerging reputation as one of Australia’s most exciting ensembles… It is difficult to see these still relatively young performers slowing down any time soon, and Australian classical music is all the better for it. […] a distinct rapport and unity between four performers with clearly distinct personalities. The quartet displayed precise melodic balance and precision, and a smattering of tasteful dynamic flair, which made their Debussy finale an especially beautiful, richly atmospheric affair. Their interpretation was expansive, and they seemed to delight in the spaces between notes, as Debussy would have put it… Where the quartet fully excelled, however, was in the Schulhoff…. an ideal vehicle for the Orava Quartet to showcase its technical and artistic mastery.
An energetic, kinetic ensemble… Despite excellent treatments of the Haydn and Debussy, it was while performing this more modern repertoire that the Orava Quartet seemed most comfortable, open, and expressive. Much the same could be said for their recording of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No 8 for Deutsche Grammophon – just as thrilling in a live performance…
While an emerging ensemble needs to be seen to have paid its dues, the Orava Quartet are well past this point, and are well-positioned now to bring some more adventurous repertoire to Australian concert halls.”
– Ben Wilkie, Limelight, 4.5 stars (Melbourne Recital Centre, October 2018 – full review here)
CutCommon magazine: “It was well worth braving the peak-hour traffic travelling from Newcastle…. The concert began with Haydn’s 1799 String Quartet Op.77 No.1 Lobkowitz… The quartet delivered this early classical work with the brightness, melodic sensitivity, harmonic symmetry, and joyousness necessary for a classical string quartet.
The final piece on the program was Debussy’s String Quartet in G minor… Indeed, it was performed superbly – not only with a masterful grasp of the technical demands of the piece, but with a total immersion in the mellifluous melodic shapes, tight driving rhythms, seraphic harmonies, and exquisite delineation of delicate pianissimo, allowing the audience to indulge in this virtuosic reverie…. [the] finale was performed with a gusto that left the audience totally spellbound and enthralled.”
– Joseph Asquith, CutCommon (Sydney Opera House Utzon Room, October 2018 – full review here)
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Program:
HAYDN String quartet op.77 no.1 ‘Lobkowitz’
SCHULHOFF Five pieces for String Quartet
DEBUSSY String Quartet in G minor, Op.10
Tour dates:
Saturday 20 October, 7:30pm at Gold Coast Youth Orchestra Hall
Thursday 25 October, 7pm at Melbourne Recital Centre – tickets here
Friday 26 October, 7:30pm at Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House – tickets here
Sunday 28 October, 3pm at St Bernard’s Church, Batehaven
Live reviews from the 2018 Canberra International Music Festival: Haydn, Rachmaninov and Debussy
“As much-hyped as the ensemble has been, they didn’t disappoint… this is quartet playing that’s vibrant, exciting and that demonstrates an impressive commitment to a unified concept of sound and musical expression…
The highlight of the concert, however, was a stunning performance of Debussy’s 1893 String Quartet…
If the Orava Quartet didn’t already have every audience member eating out of their hands with the snowballing vibrancy of Debussy’s finale, their encore … sealed the deal.”
– Limelight Magazine, 2018 (read full review “The Oravas live up to the hype and more”)
“For anyone who hasn’t heard of Orava Quartet, I urge you to pick up a copy of their debut recording with Deutsche Grammophon Australia. This young ensemble is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting voices in the art music world…
The highlight of the evening for this reviewer was Orava’s breathtaking performance of Debussy’s 1893 first and only String Quartet, in (expanded) G minor… This quartet is an incredibly virtuosic and difficult work but Orava rendered it effortlessly.”
– Canberra CityNews, 2018 (read full review “Masterful and electric young quartet”)