prazak quartet

THE ORDINARY OF AN EVENING ?

The Pražák Quartet, in ordinary—you might as well say ‘high-flying’!—public performance. As has been the case for more than thirty years, their programme begins and ends with two scores from the great repertoire, from Haydn to Schönberg, by way of Mozart, Schubert, Brahms and Beethoven, flanking—so that no one be tempted to escape—, less traditional pieces corresponding to their temperament, their profound culture, from Smetana up to the modern Slavs. The henceforth old accomplices now make up a single 16-string instrument, its unusual homogeneity obtained by the automatisms and maturity that can only be acquired over time and with daily effort. For listeners, their interpretative involvement is like a signature, going beyond confrontations and multiform vision. Thirty years after their victory at the Evian Competition, they offer a ‘raw’, untouched performance, as in the good old early days of recorded music when no wrong note, no string breaking or bow falling could be permitted; even the miracles of digital editing do not yet allow for masking approximations. Václav Remeš, the primarius, known for his intransigence vis-à-vis perfection of sound, kept a keen ear out for the unsure note, the irresolute attack, the hesitant respiration or any other uncertainty that might alter the clarity of the letter. Even though a fan of discs, he recognises that, in concert, the presence of the audience can prompt the artist to take risks as well as surpass himself. The level of noise in the hall then drops progressively, directly linked to the intensity of listening, the listeners’ silent but fervent participation. Despite the demanding nature of the interested parties, the verdict was announced: it could be released. May today’s discophiles take the time to sit down and really listen to this concert, abandoning their preoccupations of the moment and letting themselves fall under the charm and be filled with enthusiasm… This is not just another disc but a special moment to experience, ears wide open! In the style of Xavier Lacavalerie, a writer and critic who truly loves music