Virtuosic Passion – the Belcea Quartet in Beijing
The Belcea Quartet burst onto the musical scene in 1999 after winning first prize at two international string quartet competitions in Osaka and Bordeaux. They are set to give their first-ever concert in China this Sunday (March 6). On the program are three favorites of musicians and listeners alike: Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 18, No. 6; Bartók’s String Quartet No. 3; and Schubert’s Death and Maiden.
Reputed to be one of the best among the new generation, the Belcea Quartet comprises individuals distinguished by strong and markedly different personalities who manage to play as a cohesive whole. Violinists Corina Belcea-Fisher (the group’s leader and namesake) and Laura Samuel, violist Krzysztof Chorzelski and cellist Antoine Lederlin hail from four different countries – Romania, England, Poland and France, respectively – making “variety and individual expression very much at the fore,” says Chorzelski.
Anthony Tao spoke with Krzysztof Chorzelski about Belcea’s upcoming concert.
What can audiences expect from a Belcea performance?
We are very passionate about our repertoire, and the pieces we will play in Beijing represent the core of our repertoire and a cross-section of music – classical, Romantic and 20th century.
Can you tell us a bit about your Sunday program? What’s the thinking behind these selections?
It’s really a good representation of what we are about. The first piece is a Beethoven quartet from his early period, probably the most adventurous of the six from that opus. The last movement opens with a very ambiguous, lyrical and dramatic – and I would say almost horrific – introduction, which I think sort of predates Beethoven’s later music.
The Bartók is a very concise, sort of one-movement work (it’s composed of several movements but they are all linked together), I think in some ways inspired by Beethoven in form. It’s sort of like a bullet that goes from the first to the last bar – it’s quite gripping, very challenging to play, very virtuosic and also very interesting because the musical language is based on folk music of Eastern Europe, mainly Hungarian music, so there’s a particular flavor – not the sophisticated language of the classical and Romantic era, but something that has a lot more raw qualities in it.
The third piece is sort of a mainstay of the quartet repertoire by Schubert, which quotes the song Death and the Maiden. It depicts the encounter of a young girl with death. It forms the basis of a movement which is a set of variations that are absolutely exquisite.
What is the greatest challenge and the greatest reward of playing in a quartet, as opposed to a more traditional orchestra?
The difficulty lies in the fact that it’s a touring life. Many groups don’t manage to reach this stage because other commitments drive them away from being absolutely devoted. The quartet has to come first, otherwise it hasn’t really got a chance to survive.
The rewards involve playing the greatest music that the greatest composers have written. The quartets by Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert are some of the greatest masterpieces these great composers wrote. It’s intoxicating to spend your life living with this music.
It’s been said that quartets are like a four-way marriage. Considering the difficulties of some two-way marriages, what’s the dynamic like for you guys? Does everyone get along?
Most of the time, yes. Of course we have our arguments, but everything that is healthy in a relationship is also healthy in a string quartet. So of course we have our tensions, but I think built on mutual respect and fondness from years and years of playing together.
I understand this is your first time in China. What are your impressions?
Absolutely fascinating. The mixture of East and West is quite astonishing. Myself and the first violinist (Belcea-Fisher) were both born in Communist countries, so we see certain familiar traits next to absolutely Westernized elements – it’s very, very interesting.
We are really excited to be here. It’s been a long wait for us to make it to Beijing. We love playing for audiences from further afield than Europe, and we are really looking forward to it.
The Belcea Quartet play at 7:30 p.m. this Sunday, March 7, at the Forbidden City Music Hall. RMB 30-580
Tickets available here.
