Classical String Quartet Performs at Hamlin Hall – The Trinity Tripod, Hartford, CT November 28, 200

By Katy Nolin

Prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, the internationally acclaimed Ives Quartet performed in front of a sellout crowd at Hamlin Hall. While classical performances at Trinity are usually (and sadly) sparsely attended, students were actually turned away from the popular concert, and many were forced to stand through the two-hour performance.

The Quartet features four of the most talented string instrumentalists in the country, hailing from diverse academic and performance backgrounds. It is based out of the California Bay Area, but they still feature a very diverse and eclectic performance schedule, traveling throughout the world while still stopping for teaching residencies here at Trinity.

Bettina Mussumeli and Susan Freier, the two violinists, hail from two separate coasts: Mussumeli is a prodigy from the famed Juilliard School while Freier traces her collegiate musical roots to Stanford University. As if to prove many parents wrong, Freier was a double major in Biology and Music, and choose to pursue music instead of a lucrative medical career. “I was thinking of going to medical school and that was certainly my parents’ plan for me. But music really took over,” Freier said.

On viola, newcomer Jodi Levitz stands out. The viola is a notoriously secondary instrument: it is overshadowed by the melodic violin and often, if played poorly, overwhelmed by the resonating cello. Levitz, also a graduate of Juilliard, truly shows the viola at its best, and its deep, lilting notes shine through the sweeter violin and richer cello.

On the cello, Stephen Harrison is also a pleasure to hear. A graduate of Oberlin College and Boston University, Harrison is now a professor at Stanford. Personally, the cello has always been my least favorite instrument, but Harrison’s beautiful renditions of Quincy Porter’s String Quartet No. 3 quite frankly won over any bias I might have had.

The performance, which clocked in at an impressive two hours, featured three very different pieces which truly showed the depth of talent in the Quartet. The first piece was Mozart’s String Quartet No. 17 nicknamed “The Hunt.” The piece is called so because of its lively measure which reminds the audience of an 18th century foxhunt. Mozart is (obviously) an immensely talented composer, and despite the introductory allegro, the piece still features a complex blend of tempos, motion, and volume.

Porter’s String Quarter No. 3 followed the Mozart piece, and it continues the lively, spirited mood from “The Hunt” with a much more modern feel. Porter, a 20th century composer and a famed violinist, updates the quartet style, and his piece features a pleasant blend between individual instrument solos and harmonious group parts. The best part of this piece was undoubtedly the cello, which opened the Allegro and carried the undercurrent throughout.

After the intermission, the Quartet closed with Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, named “Razumovsky” after the Russian Count who commissioned the piece. This Russian influence is apparent throughout the piece, as strains of Russian folk music in the Allegretto Maggiore contrast with the black and white of the Allegro and Finale. While Mozart and Porter are more subtle and harmonious with their string quartets, Beethoven’s features many of the traits that make him famous in his later Ninth Symphony. There is a stark contrast between harsher, staccato melodies in the Allegro, and smoother, sweeter tones in the Molto adagio.

Hamlin Hall is an ideal venue for this type of performance. The high ceilings give the classical pieces a haunting resonance that fills the room (and surrounding dormitories) with a rich, full-bodied sound. The ambience of the room is also appealing, as the wood paneling, high windows, and gothic features bring the audience back to the times of Mozart and Beethoven.

In today’s age of carbon-copy pop stars and pseudo-rock bands, classical music is underrated and written off as only suitable for NPR. Yet there is a transcendance in classical music that speaks to every listener despite age, circumstance, or musical taste. Classical music is devastatingly beautiful in its simplicity and in its rich yet subtle tones – it tugs on your heartstrings with its emotional and uplifting notes.

Next time the Ives Quartet performs on campus, don’t risk it by trying to get tickets at the door. Buy them in advance, because whether you like classical music or not, you certainly do not want to miss this fantastic group.