reviews

formosa quartet

“This was musically impressive ensemble playing, with warm and precise intonation and ears-open coordination... A thrilling play of contrasts,

alternately ethereal and lively.”

Ionarts, December 2007

“Their imaginative account of Mozart’s G major Quartet K387 is spellbinding.

But they also convey with seasoned skill the drama, poetry and lyricism of

Schubert’s Quartettsatz and inject Wolf’s Italian Serenade not only with

breathtaking vitality and athleticism but also with a true joie de vivre.”

“These players’ Mozart performance, though, is the pièce de résistance. They

articulate the flexible phrase structures of the opening movement with

commendable intelligence and blend. Further, they realize the finale’s stylistic

opposition of fugato and dance sections with wit and polish and contrast the

various characters of the spacious Minuet and trio with great effect. Their calm,

contemplative slow movement lives up to its cantabile billing and they shape its

wealth of melodic material and subsequent elaborations with warmth and

elegance, incorporating some pleasing rubato.”

Strad, February 2007

“Their playing of Schubert’s Quartettsatz is instinct with drama,… while Mozart’

s K387 is remarkably fine both in meticulous response to the letter and in a

desire to look beyond the notes. The Formosa Quartet certainly deserve to

succeed.”

Gramophone, January 2007

“Although traditional in terms of repertoire, the performances on this disc go

beyond the beautiful and into the territory of unexpectedly thrilling.”

“…bold and intense, like shots of pure espresso.”

MUSO, Winter 2006 – 07

“Not surprisingly they deliver almost technically flawless performances taking

particular care to ensure that textures are as crystal-clear as possible

throughout each work. This approach is particularly effective in the Mozart

K387, which is given a marvelously elegant performance full of youthful

freshness and exuberance in the outer movements with a naturally warm

lyricism in the Andante Cantabile. It also illuminates the rhythmic complexities

of the Scherzo of Debussy’s Quartet presented here with spellbinding

virtuosity.”

BBC Music Magazine, January 2007

“The Formosa Quartet plays with exquisite definition…. an appetite-teasing

Mozart Quartet in G, K387 (with a scintillating, sure-bowed finale), and the

quartet version of Wolf’s one-off Italian Serenade in a glistening, vivacious,

witty, encore-like performance.”

“The disc is marked by variety, technical brilliance and much charm.”

Classic FM, February 2007