Quatuor Molinari | Blair Thomson’s Miniatures, Kelly-Marie Murphy’s Dark Energy, R. Murray Schafer’s No. 4

On Friday, December 5, the Molinari Quartet presented the program Canadian Rhythms, highlighting the compositions of three composers in communion with rhythm.

The concert began with Kelly-Marie Murphy’s “Dark Energy,” a work exploring the cosmos and the universe’s continued expansion, culminating in its eventual implosion. This description perfectly illustrates the piece, which unfolds in a grand crescendo, beginning with a sublime melody that the quartet members continuously exchange over a blend of tremolos and sustained notes, executed with delicate grace by the other members. However, one shouldn’t be fooled, for just as the universe expands, the quartet ignites, unleashing a series of virtuoso passages played with passion.

The second piece, the only new work in the concert, comes from composer Blair Thomson, who is presenting his very first string quartet for this occasion. Based on a series of miniatures, this creation by the Molinari Quartet strings together a series of short pieces that explore the many possibilities of a string quartet. The Molinari Quartet thus embarked on this exercise with great virtuosity, succeeding brilliantly.

The concert concluded with R. Murray Schafer’s String Quartet No. 4, a work particularly beloved by the Molinari ensemble. Having performed this same string quartet at their very first concert in 1997, the ensemble presents this magnificent piece in the midst of its 29th season.

The distinctive feature of this piece is its spatialization of sound: as the piece begins, violinist Olga Ranzenhofer is positioned at the back of the stage, in constant dialogue with the quartet. Throughout the first section, the violinist emerges from the back of the stage and quietly approaches her colleagues, a dramatic moment executed with great expressiveness. After a more traditional second section, which the quartet plays impeccably, the piece concludes gently with a distant voice from the back of the stage, a moment of pure melancholy.