Reviews

The York Press

14 April 2014

It was parky outside on Friday evening. But there was warmth aplenty inside St Peter’s, the warmth of reunion. Like the first cuckoo in spring, the Ryedale Festival launch concert brought the promise of sunnier days ahead: 42 events in July, no less.

The Sacconis are not perhaps as well known in the northeast of England as elsewhere in Europe. But they have been around since 2001, and it shows. In Bridge, Mozart and Dvorak alike, their quiet composure was captivating.

The 25-year-old Bridge’s three Novelletten (1904) were beautifully turned here, with solo viola and cello bouncing along on featherbed accompaniments, and the composer’s harmonic adventures gently pointed.

Mozart’s 16th quartet, K.428 in E flat, was truly revealing. Barely exceeding mezzo forte throughout, the Sacconis enticed us into their confidence. In an exceptionally soft slow movement, they conjured a gossamer dream. A springy minuet and trio was ideally contrasted by the final rondo, where Mozart’s clever bridges back to the theme were teasingly presented.

After such thoughtful work, the players let their hair down in Dvorak’s ‘American’ quartet, No 12 in E, their enjoyment palpable. But ensemble remained as tight-meshed as ever. Here again their communication with each other was a joy to witness and infectious to hear. Musical intimacy does not get better than this. It generates warmth, too.

Marlborough College Concert Series

23 September 2013

To begin the 72nd season the Marlborough College Concert Series presented the Sacconi String Quartet in a varied programme of music by Haydn, Benjamin Britten and Beethoven.  The Sacconis are a young quartet on the rise and on this performance it’s easy to see why.  Brimming with sparkle, energy and fizz this was a performance of real class and flair, with a freshness that comes with the flourish of youth and the audience clearly enjoyed themselves.  The Haydn Quartet that opened proceedings was precise, neat and nimble – a perfect curtain raiser to Britten’s 2nd String Quartet which followed.  2013 is the 100th anniversary of the composer’s birth so it was a fitting inclusion and following an informative introduction from viola player Robin Ashwell, we were treated to a spirited and atmospheric performance of this marvellous work.  There was the necessary vigour and robust attack alongside some breath-taking colours, and ensemble was judged to perfection, making for an altogether memorable performance.

There was only one work in the second half, but what a work.  Beethoven’s late quartet Opus 132 is a truly immense piece and timeless in its ability to sound utterly original on each hearing and the Sacconi’s rendition was both persuasive and polished.  Late Beethoven presents significant musical and technical challenges for the players: optimum control, precision in phrasing, unification of intonation and significant stamina to name but a few, but again, the Sacconi Quartet didn’t disappoint – on the contrary, they warmed to the task in hand delivering a truly special performance.  A fitting start to the 2013/2014 season.

Philip Dukes, Artistic Director

Sheffield Telegraph

23 May 2013

A Boy Was Born continued on Tuesday with the visit to Sheffield of another high-profile ensemble. While the space lacks intimacy, the sound tends to be warm and clear, and the Sacconi noticeably grew into it over the course of the evening.

Two pieces of Shostakovich opened the evening: working through matters of intonation, the group played a shimmering Elegy and a spirited Polka. Then, warming up, there followed Haydn’s Op 20 No 2 quartet, which although pleasingly full-bodied, quite rightly never became more than ‘late-classical’ in scale.

The main course was Britten’s Second Quartet. Here, especially in the epic Chacony, was an inexorable nervous energy. If anything, the quieter moments were grittier, more tense, than the strident loud passages.

At the close, the deliciously delayed resolution being played with presence and not a jot of unnecessary showmanship, it seemed that the genius of Britten was speaking to us directly, without intervention. Such moments maketh memories!

The Times

22 September 2012

The excellently gutsy Sacconi Quartet

The Edinburgh Reporter

22 November 2011

The young British Sacconi Quartet provided the musical backdrops, with immaculate playing and precise ensemble, bringing Deazley’s characterful music to colourful life.

The Classical Source

22 October 2011

To start the concert, the Sacconi Quartet delighted in Haydn, distinguished by clean, classical playing, often with sparing vibrato. Both in Haydn and in Schubert's 'Death and the Maiden', the leader’s delicate phrases...were matched in the ‘Death’ second movement by finely balanced chording and blend from his colleagues...the Sacconi Quartet is a young group to watch out for.

The Observer

22 July 2011

This Czech programme suits the infectious bounce and fizz of the Sacconis, who bring Dvorák's songful "American" quartet to vivid life and drive along the dance-like second movement of Smetana's Quartet No 1 with an irrepressible swing. But it's not all party hats and streamers: Smetana's story was a tragic one, ending in the nightmare of deafness. His quartet carries the title "From My Life", and the sensitive Sacconis bear solemn witness to his sorrowful journey into silence. Equally, they create a reverential stillness in Suk's Meditation on an Old Czech Hymn, a single-movement work of fervent yet dignified Czech nationalism, written as the first world war doused all the festive lights across Europe.