Quatuor Cobalt – Reflets du temps

The Cobalt Quartet is a young ensemble founded in 2017. Reflets du temps is its first album and features works by three female composers, the Italian Maddalena Laura Lombardini Sirmen, the German Fanny Mendelssohn and the contemporary Argentine Alicia Terzian. The ‘reflections of time’ suggested by the title are as much those of the musical eras visited as those of today, in a socio-political perspective of rediscovering the female contribution to art music. This is not the first time I’ve heard a work by Sirmen, and I have to admit that each time I’m fairly impressed by the quality of the writing, and by the dramatic yet rigorous deployment of artistic expression.   

This contemporary of Mozart and Haydn was not only a composer (and recognised as such by her compatriots), but also an acclaimed violinist and opera singer. She was an exceptional woman for her time, and in recent years we have been rediscovering her writing talents (the others have obviously been lost to us). Her gallant classical style is very much of its time, but reflects a high level of expertise and melodic inspiration. The Cobalt Quartet make this score their own with conviction, allowing it to soar thanks to the energetic vitality they bring to it. This Quartet No. 2 in B flat will be a wonderful discovery for curious music lovers.

Fanny Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in E flat major H.277 is perhaps one of the few quartets written by a woman to have achieved a general reputation worthy of its male counterparts. Its expressive verve combined with catchy, well-constructed themes gives it an enduring appeal. The Cobalts are attentive to the minute details that give it its flavour, and give a reading whose main colour is somewhat original in that they play the work on period instruments, a rarity. This is a very fine performance, full of luminosity and spontaneity. 

Alice Terzian’s Tres Piezas op. 5 were written in 1954 and are based on traditional Armenian tunes. Evening Song, Pastorale and Variations, then Rustic Dance form a triptych of serious character, bathed in chromatic harmonies that nonetheless leave room for a communicative narrative space. 

The Cobalt Quartet reveals itself to be an ensemble of the highest calibre, with excellent ensemble playing. We’ll be watching this young group’s career with interest. 

Quatuor Cobalt :

François Leclerc, cello

Clément Bufferne, viola

Guillaume Villeneuve and Diane Bayard, violins