Frank Kuznik, BachTrack
Four Stars

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…The Wihan Quartet opened with the String Quartet no. 2, composed in 1925, when Martinů was a young man living in Paris and absorbing new musical influences like jazz…

“The opening piece was, in a word, brilliant. In a country where string quartets abound, this performance offered a reminder why the Wihan Quartet is considered among the very best. The group speaks with a single, finely calibrated voice characterized by virtuoso technical skills and exuberant yet disciplined expression.”

Setting a torrid pace, the players handled the rush of colorful tonalities and changing cadences with aplomb, giving wings to a piece that imbues a traditional form with fresh ideas and energy.

The quartet brought the same tight focus to the Piano Quintet, offering a clean, driving version of a piece that teeters on the edge of becoming a five-car pileup. Instead it was like a current, pulling the listener through turbulent emotional rapids with flashes of upheaval, anxiety and melancholy…

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