youthful quartet plays mozart & shostakovich

by Jean-Pierre Kirkland

On Sunday January 31st 2559 the CRK recital hall at Payap University, Chiang Mai was packed with an enthusiastic audience for a startlingly rapturous performance by the Shounan-Thai Quartet based in Bangkok. These four young musicians – all in their mid-twenties and lifelong friends of one another, - treated the audience to superb renditions of two ground-breaking string quartets firstly by Mozart, the K465 ‘Dissonance’ Quartet No 19 in C major and secondly the 8th string quartet by Shostakovich from 1960, in C minor

This was a recital that will be remembered in Chiang Mai for a long time to come. The musicians played as one – totally together throughout both these difficult-to-play works – and brought to each piece a dignity and forcefulness often lacking in performances by more mature musicians. The young players gave their all to the music with energy, passion and a keen sense of interpretation and understanding. The two violinists excelled in the allegro passages of the Mozart giving a tremendously energetic and powerful performance. They were admirably supported by viola and cello throughout, these latter instruments coming more to the fore in the Shostakovich which they played with great musical integrity. Overall this was one of those rare occasions in music where everything else in one’s mind was banished by the dedication and determination of the players who produced subtle harmonies, vibrant development sections and lamentably peaceful largos, just as the composer intended.

The audience gave rapturous applause after the Mozart – rightly so; the audience rose to their feet almost as one after the final largo of the Shostakovich – again rightly so. This was a unique combination of masterful talent and insightful interpretation. When the British author Joseph Conrad wrote the words “Oh Youth – the strength of it, the faith of it, the imagination of it!” over 100 years ago, little did he realize how prophetic these phrases would be in Chiang Mai for these awe-inspiring young musicians.  We are truly grateful for the opportunity this quartet gave us to listen to such a high quality performance. May they soon return to delight us once more.