Justus Frantz Quartet: A rare magnificence

The internationally acclaimed Justus Frantz Quartet, presented Thursday by German Ambassador Herbert D. Jess at the embassy residence, interpreted two piano quartets, both in G Minor, the first by Mozart, the second by Brahms.

The brilliant, consummate pianist, 59-year-old Frantz Justus, led the youthful, equally brilliant violinist Martin Panteleev, 26; violinist Ivo Krastev, 29, and cellist Alexandre Bagrintsev, 33, while serving as their galvanizing inspiration. (Violinist Panteleev, who also conducts and composes, has already two symphonies and a symphonic poem to his credit. His colleagues, likewise, are multi-awarded international artists.)

A smile or a look occasionally exchanged among the players was the only visible sign needed to bring about their incredibly close, seamless "togetherness", from a pianissimo start to an awesome crescendo ending, with total rapport marvelously sustained. Frantz’s cascading notes in the final movement of the Brahms Quartet were complemented by the pizzicatos from the strings; here, too, the interplay between piano and violin or between violin and viola, with the cello’s deep, resonant tones merely providing the accompaniment, likewise signified cohesiveness and harmonic balance.

The Quartet delineated each movement with such eloquence, the striking contrasts ensuing between movements made interpretation vibrant and dramatic.

Precision, intonation, uniform control of dynamics, the widest diversity of tonal hues – add to these intensity of feeling, passion, vitality, zest – and you have, in sum, a rare magnificence. Call it perfection plus. Behind the superb music-making was the striking technical command of the Quartet’s members who played with one mind, one heart, one spirit.

It was sheer delight to see the four enjoying themselves while performing even as they were enthralling the audience at the same time.

The Quartet’s thorough conversance with the music at hand inevitably led to the audience’s deeper understanding of it. For instance, Brahms emerged a greater composer than what the listeners, hitherto, may have thought him to be. Or was it because the Quartet’s superlative rendition made Brahms’s work sound better than its intrinsic musical value?

At any rate, at program’s end, the audience derived a clearer idea of the differences, both in style and substance, between Mozart and Brahms. What an illuminating, enriching experience the Quartet afforded its listeners!

Brahms’s fiery, propulsive final allegro movement (a Hungarian dance) was repeated in response to the thunderous, unending applause and lusty cries for an encore. With the repetition being even more frenzied and intense than the previous rendition, how the audience roared its approval!

Ambassador Jess, avid music lover and art patron that he is, may find it a real challenge to present another chamber ensemble approaching the Frantz Justus Quartet’s electrifying standard of excellence.