Beethoven's music demands much attention and concentration to fully appreciate, and certainly an all-Beethoven concert can be an exhausting endeavor for performer and listener alike.  But with the right artist, such a concert can be a wonderful and rewarding experience. The Artemis String Quartet brought exactly the right kind of energy and respect to their performance of three middle-late period Beethoven quartets last Friday night on The Friends of Chamber Music's series at the Folly Theater.

The Artemis String Quartet is truly a solid musical unit. Their playing was so tight, well-balanced and communicative within the group I felt the four players sounded like one cohesive instrument -  yet each musician's physicality on stage expressed their individual passion and enthusiasm for the music. First violinist Natalia Prischepenko displayed excellent leadership: every entrance, ending and tempo fluctuation was impeccably controlled. All the players demonstrated a high level of musicality and an understanding and genuine enjoyment of this music.

Beethoven's Quartet in F Minor, Op. 95, "Serioso" opened the evening. I was glad for this addition to the original program, as only two quartets would have left the audience undoubtedly wanting more. This middle-period quartet boasts a wide spectrum of moods, despite its short length. The movements shift from volatile to tender, from agitated to playful, and the Artemis captured and conveyed each mood of the piece masterfully.

The Quartet in E-flat Major (Op. 127, No. 12) featured the cello fairly prominently, and cellist Eckart Runge was a delight to watch, executing his phrases with much exuberance. I was hard-pressed to find any flaws in the performance until the second movement of this quartet: not all of the players' vibrato matched in speed or style in the opening. However by the lively third movement scherzo their pizzicato and spiccato sections were concise and impeccable. They ended this movement with such verve that the audience clapped (which was a little awkward for both performers and audience alike). A highlight of the final movement was how deftly the melodies were passed from one performer to another.

The Quartet in C Major (Op. 59, No. 3 "Razumovsky") is perhaps the strangest of these three quartets. It begins with a sparse introduction of long-held harmonics, in which the group seemed hesitant about their entrances and the rest of the movement had occasional spots where intonation was just the slightest bit amiss. Second violinist Gregor Sigl and violist Friedemann Weigle showed impressive dexterity in their lyrical scalar passages in the second movement, and the entire ensemble ended the work with vibrancy and vigor: cutting off the final chord by raising their bows into the air in perfect unison.

After extended cheers, the Artemis treated the audience to a tango encore by Astor Piazzolla, Milonga del Angel. It was a refreshing contrast to Beethoven: this work was in a yearning, lustful mood, featuring each instrument with a slinky, sexy melodic solo.

I would also like to mention The Friends of Chamber Music's Forte Film Series, which presents movies about composers featured on this year's series.  Immortal Beloved, based on Beethoven's famous love letters found after his death, was shown at Tivoli on Thursday night and was a fun prologue to the concert this evening. Impromptu about the life of Chopin will be shown on April 8.  Tickets are free to this film series.

REVIEW:
The Friends of Chamber Music
Artemis String Quartet
Friday, March 12, 2010
Folly Theater
12^th and Central Streets, Downtown, Kansas City, MO
www.chambermusic.org

By Kristin Shafel Omiccioli

Editorial Assignments Executive Editor; Traditional and New Classical Contributor

Kristin Shafel Omiccioli, a native of Madison, WI, holds composition degrees (M.M., B.M.) from the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance. Kristin's compositions have been performed at national and regional new music festivals and conferences throughout the United States. During her time at UMKC, Kristin also focused on double bass performance and arts administration. She was a student leader and performer in many of the Conservatory's student organizations and ensembles, including Musica Nova, Composers' Guild, the Conservatory Student Association, the orchestras, and Wind Symphony. Her composition instructors were James Mobberley, Paul Rudy, Zhou Long, and Chen Yi, and her bass instructor was Sue Stubbs. Formerly a guitarist, Kristin performed with big bands and her own jazz combo in Madison, WI, having studied jazz guitar and theory with Roger Brotherhood in Madison and jazz voice and theory with Hal Melia in Kansas City at UMKC.

Kristin enjoys being active in the performing arts community. She has volunteered with the Chamber Music Society of Kansas City and Charlotte Street Foundation, and has played in the bass section of the Northland Symphony Orchestra, among other bass gigs around the metro. Kristin currently serves as principal bass for the Kansas City Civic Orchestra and Heritage Philharmonic, and is a section bassist for Kinnor Philharmonic. She joined the writing staff of KCMetropolis.org in February 2010 and has been KCM’s executive editor since July 2011. Read her blog at mylittleheartmelodies.com.