Metropolitan
Playhouse
presented
Iris String Quartet
 |
| Entela Barci, Yibin Li, Muneyoshi Takahashi, Sean Katsuyama |
with
YIBIN LI, Violin
MUNEYOSHI TAKAHASHI, Violin
ENTELA BARCI, Viola
SEAN KATSUYAMA, Cello
December 8, 2015
220 East 4th Street between Avenues A and
B
Metropolitan Playhouse located in the
East Village was pleased to present the IRIS
STRING QUARTET in a concert of major works by Mendelssohn and Haydn, along
with the World Premiere of MICHAEL KOSCH'S
Strokes of Sky: Paris. The program
included: Joseph Haydn, String Quartet in B Flat major, Op. 76, No. 4
"Sunrise," Felix Mendelssohn, String Quartet in D Major, Op. 44, No.
1 'The American," and Kosch's world premiere.
The Iris Quartet has played in most of
New York's finest venues like Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully, Steinway, Merkin, and
Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center so it was a pleasant surprise to listen to
them in a small chamber; especially, for the classical chamber music lover.
Apparently, the quartet is named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow. These
young musicians come from different countries and some were educated at
Juilliard and others at respective renowned schools in their country of origin
as well as having trained with the masters in their field.
Haydn's "Sunrise" was symbolic
of the Age of Enlightenment and was played with utmost seriousness. Kosch's
world premiere followed and is the first of a four-part quartet inspired by
Vincent Van Gogh's latest works while in France with the idea that art inspires
musical composition. If the intention was to portray bustling city streets and
contemporary life, it succeeded. Actually, it looked difficult for the
musicians to perform so was that the composer's intention or does it need to be
improved?
After a short intermission, the quartet
finished with a beautiful rendition of Mendelssohn that was music to the ears
and played with confidence and expertise. This energetic string quartet
unfolded in pleasing, sweet melodious patterns. It was my favorite piece.
Mendelssohn was an icon of Romanticism and died at the age of 38. This
energetic string quartet unfolded in pleasing, sweet melodious patterns.
By
Laura Thompson
