Endellion

Last Friday to our first, and possibly last (given the programmes on offer), concert given this season by the Endellion Quartet at the Wigmore Hall. Haydn Op.77 No.2, his last quartet, Bartók No.3 and Beethoven Op.59 No.1.

The Haydn, which it turns out we have heard at least once before (see reference 1), was rather denser than I have come to expect with Haydn, from whom I now expect a rather lighter, more courtly touch. But good, nonetheless.

Bartók very good, possibly helped along by the glass of colonial white taken beforehand.

While the Beethoven, of which I had been expecting great things, was, rather, good in parts. Perhaps the wine was wearing off, or perhaps I should not have had it at all, Bartók notwithstanding. Something of the same sort happened at the post turned up at reference 3, from more than five years ago. For more successful outings of the same piece see reference 2.

We had an encore, which rounded things off very well, pulling me up from the anti-climax, was very familiar and was said to be a scherzo from one of the late Beethoven Quartets. I cannot now remember the number but all I can think is that it was in the 130 rather than the 120 series. However, checking in the booklet which comes with one of my vinyls, the best I can do is a scherzando in Op.127, with the other late quartets not doing scherzos at all, their turning out to be more a feature of the early quartets, for example Op.18 No.6. YouTube confirms the familiarity of the scherzando, so I will have to settle for that.

I wonder now when the encores get chosen? All worked out during rehearsal when the shape of things to come is becoming clear? Or do they leave it until the day, and choose in the light of what has gone before? Choose from a repertoire of pieces which they can knock out, off the cuff, as it were? Thinking with my fingers, I suppose that practice will vary with quartet and with occasion.

Various young people, it being a Friday evening, provided entertainment on the two journeys.

A young lady, perhaps 20, on the outbound platform at Epsom. Petite, thin, wearing very tight blue jeans, smartly turned out. Lit up in full view, managing three or four puffs before our train pulled in, at which point she threw what was left away, presumably under the train. Rare to see such flagrant disregard of the rules in these matters.

Then another young lady, not so petite, making a big performance of eating a pear opposite us in the same train.

Later on, more loud eating, this time oriental. on the tube back to Vauxhall. Something fruity looking from a large plastic tub. Perhaps it was easier to avoid behaviour of this sort when I was young and such stuff was not available. I also remember reading, perhaps in the book noticed at reference 4, that Japanese people think that European people are very funny about eating noises. That they, the Europeans that is, make a great fuss about eating - but at the same time think it proper to do it without the noises, some slurping, some appreciative, thought proper in Japan.

Very cuddly behaviour on the same train from what I took to be a couple of gay young men.

A pair of very jolly shoes on a young lady, with the front uppers done up in appliqué work to look like the faces of cuddly animals, perhaps a cat and a mouse. Made all the more engaging by the design on the front of the left shoe not being the same as that on the right shoe.

And lastly, alighting at Ewell West, a Mrs. Beckham type with her rather tough looking boy friend, seemingly rather more interested in his telephone than in her. She was perhaps a little older than he, petite, very carefully turned out, but too thin and too determined looking for my taste.

PS: looking to YouTube for a reprise of Op.59 No.1, it turned up a performance which included a gentleman of colour playing the viola. Something which I have never come across before, with people of colour being quite thin on the ground in concert audiences here, never mind stages. A young quartet which seemed to me, early this morning, a little fast. I have no idea if 391,881 views makes it a popular item, but it does sound like a lot. What it does not give me is the name of the quartet or that of the viola player. Just that they come from Boston, MA. Later: google suggests David Mason, not to be confused with the cellist of the same name.

Reference 1: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/navarrad.html.

Reference 2: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=op.59+no.1.

Reference 3: http://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=op.59+no.1.

Reference 4: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/short-notice.html.