Well-travelled Scottish strings (From Bournemouth Echo)

Well-travelled Scottish strings

3:26pm Monday 5th November 2007

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A 900-mile round trip by car to play for the BCMS seems extreme, but the Edinburgh String Quartet's welcome claim to have also brought the sunshine to Bournemouth very justifiably stood up in their repertoire.

Beethoven's String Quartet in E flat opus 127, if not the most sun-kissed piece here revealed light and shade in every well-sprung phrase. A spiritual communion with nature lit with playing of immense bravura and earthy energy. The Adagio's sublime radiance focused heart and soul to its meditative aura.

A particular speciality is the music of Scottish composers. John Blackwood McEwan's Quartet for strings No.8 Biscay' sparkled with its maritime theme.

There is a cheerful ambience about Haydn's String Quartet in G major opus 76 No.1, here fully exploited by Tristan Gurney and Philip Bunnin, violins, Michael Beeston, viola and Mark Bailey, cello.

Wolf's Italian Serenade conjured the colourful landscape with a variety of expressive episodes. The Edinburgh's characterful playing throughout made a hugely enjoyable concert.

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