THE INDEPENDENT, Thursday 12 April 2007

(Two concerts of the Herold Quartet for Truro Three Arts in Cornwall)

"THE HEROLD QUARTET - TRURO THREE ARTS"

"Having regularly attended and promoted chamber music concerts for nearly forty years I can honestly say that the best chamber concert I have ever attended took place not in London, or in the famous concert venues of Europe, but in Cornwall. Actually it was two concerts taking place over one spring-time weekend. One an official Three Arts promoted concert in Truro, and the other a private concert in St Ives.

These performances of the Herold String Quartet from Prague had a huge effect on me. Judging from the fact that the audience were left glued to their seats, even after the tumultuous applause finally died down, my experience was far from unique.

It was a real privilege to hear this Czech string quartet in Cornwall. They are an ensemble made of four superbly talented individuals, who produce the most homogenous of sounds you could ever want to hear. The first violinist Petr Zdvihal, the leader of the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, is a key element in homogenising the individual performances of the violinist Jan Valta, the cellist David Havelick and Karel Untermüller, the hugely impressive violist.

It was not only the quality of the performers that made this such a special experience, it was also the quality of the programme they played. Heavily focusing on Czech music the audience was introduced to two composers whose work is rarely heard outside the concert halls of Prague. At the Truro concert the Second Quartet of Lubos Sluka proved to be a wonderfully intense excursion through rhythms and sounds developed over centuries of Czech history. Indeed, it was fitting that this work was sandwiched between Janacek’s evocative Intimate Letters quartet and Dvorak’s American quartet. Never before have I heard the Janacek performed with such passion, strength and individuality. Absolutely perfect.

If however, there was a highlight, it has to be the first performance in the UK (given at the concert in St Ives) of the Second String Quartet by Vaclav Zahradnik. The performance of which was so emotional that it provided one of those tearful moments that blokes like me find really embarrassing. I was, indeed, too moved to see if the others in the audience felt the same. Zahradnik’s music must be heard outside the Czech Republic. All his string quartets were written for the Herold Quartet. Let’s hope it’s not too long before they record them. When they are back in the UK don’t miss them. Oh, and come to Cornwall and see what fantastic concerts Truro Three Arts promotes."

Rating: * * * * *

/Tim German/

NORTH SHORE TIMES - Classic music reviews, 4th November 2005

(Australian debut in Sydney - concert of the Sydney Mozart Society)

"IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE"

"In the premier league is the Herold String Quartet from Prague which gave a distinguished recital for the large Sydney Mozart Society audience in Willoughby Civic Centre last week. Beethoven’s knotty Opus 59/2 became as much an intellectual as an emotional project, and Mozart’s Hunt quartet K458 and Dvořák’s enchanting American quartet made their full impact. The Mozartians' decision to bring the Herolds to Sydney paid off handsomely."

/Fred Blanks/

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 3th September 2005

(Review of the CD)

"LATE QUARTETS OF CZECH MASTERS"

"The disc by the Herold Quartet, who tour Australia for the Mozart Society next month, is a reminder that a country of relatively small population and a troubled history can still achieve sustained depth of musical culture. All the works are by Czech composers in their later years, a stage that finds Smetana searching, Dvořák celebratory and Janáček in a frenetic and libidinal indian summer.

Smetana's String Quartet No.2 in D is changeable in mood, struggling to settle for long on his earlier folk charm. The Herold Quartet binds it together with touching and convincing continuity. Dvořák's was written as he returned from his stay in the US, warm and joyous in the glow of the world renown he now enjoyed. Janáček's String Quartet No.2, Intimate letters, was his last work and takes the changeability of Smetana's work to a new level of quirkiness, deriving rhythms from phrases from his love letters to Kamila Stosslova, about 35 years his junior. The quartet play it with precision and intensity."

/Peter McCallum/

THE DVOŘÁK SOCIETY NEWSLETTER No. 72, July 2005

(UK debut in Wigmore Hall, London, April 10th 2005)

"THE HEROLDS DEBUT AT THE WIGMORE HALL"

"The excellence of Czech string quartets touring the world today calls to mind descriptions of the high standard of string ensemble playing as practised by, among others, graduates of the Prague Conservatoire in the late 19th century. [...] Jiří Herold (1875 - 1934), was leader of the Czech Philharmonic and founder of his own Herold String Quartet. He took up viola in order to fill the vacancy in the Bohemian Quartet (České kvarteto) in 1906 when Oskar Nedbal left the ensemble.

His namesakes - a young ensemble founded just seven years ago - gave a fine performance of both the Mozart ["Dissonance" KV 465] and the Dvořák [A-flat major Op.105]. They are a perfectly balanced quartet, matched in strength as well as beauty of tone, and they display a natural 'feel' for the music, making it sound fresh as if composed only yesterday. Their obvious enjoyment of the music is infectious, and their readiness to take risks sweeps the audience along. This was their London debut to be followed, I understand, by their first tour of Japan. We are sure to hear more of them and their return in the UK will be keenly anticipated."

/Karel Janovický/

EL IDEAL GALLEGO, February 4th 2005

(Concert of the Herold Quartet in the Teatro Rosalia de Castro, La Coruňa, February 2005)

"As planned, the 1 022th concert of the Philharmonic Society was held in the Teatro Rosalia de Castro, introducing the Czech Herold Quartet. The whole audience rewarded the quartet for its performance with a huge applause and the shouting of 'bravo'. The programme consisted of Haydn's Op.64 No.5 "The Lark", Mozart's KV 465 "Dissonant" and, in the second half, Dvořák's G major Op.106. The ovation given by the audience was well-earned and it was rewarded with an encore from Ravel's String Quartet in F major.

It was an excellent concert which deserves to be remembered. Listening to Haydn's "Lark" Quartet was a real pleasure and the same applied to the rest of the concert. For all four members of the Herold Quartet, Haydn was a great opportunity of how to show their strong musicality in such a perfect performance. After the enchantment and relish of Haydn, which was played with a clarity and colour richness and with a charm without any excesses, as it should be, the concert continued with a splendid 'avant-garde': Mozart's KV 465. [...] The members of the Herold Quartert were able to convey and give the content of Mozart's quartet, and even more. First violinist Petr Zdvihal is outstanding, he has a brilliant technique and an excellent tone; also, violist Karel Untermüller with his notable solos is extraordinary. And the second violin and the cello, Jan Valta and David Havelík, are of the same quality and professional level.

It is difficult and rare to find such an equable and perfectly well-coordinated ensemble. Everything is subordinated to the sense of unity and music. Musical perfection is the only ambition; it is their first and highest goal. What a pity that they didn't play whole the Ravel!

The management of the Philharmonic Society can be satisfied and proud of facilitating such an outstanding experience."

/Antonio Buján/

A CORUŇA, February 4th 2005

(Concert of the Herold Quartet in the Teatro Rosalia, La Coruňa, February 2005)

[...] "We heard them in the same hall two years ago and it seems that during this short time period their performance has became even more mature and perfect, though already on their earlier visit they played with enthusiasm, warmth, passion, beauty of sound and use of dynamic contrasts. And all this with the greatest precision and the most inner tuning. [...]

The audience showed their appreciation of the artists with a warm applause and even shouts of excitement."

/Julio Andrade Malde/

LA VANGUARDIA, July 11th 2004

(Concert of the Herold Quartet in the Symphony Hall of l'Auditori in Barcelona, July 2004)

“The young Herold Quartet from the Czech Republic proved their pleasure-giving qualities. […] I would especially like to highlight their performance of Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No.1 in D major – who became a major composer after this, his first chamber music work! The Herold Quartet performed this work with admirable polyphonic treatment combined with nice colour and clarity of voices.

The exalted applause from the audience added warmth and enthusiasm to this evening.”

/Jorge de Persia/

HUDEBNÍ ROZHLEDY (MUSICAL SCOPES) 1/2004

(Concert of the Herold Quartet for ČSKH, Dvořák`s Hall of Rudolfinum, Prague, November 2003)

[...] "The Herold Quartet took their name from the well known Czech chamber musician Jiří Herold. This outstanding young ensemble fulfills the highest expectations of that name. The highly gifted musicians – Petr Zdvihal (1st violin), Jan Valta (2nd violin), Karel Untermüller (viola), David Havelík (violoncello) – can pride themselves on their clear intonation, excellent rhythmical interplay and perfect instrumental technique, as well as with their global understanding of the structure of the music.

This was perceptible in the second movement of Novák`s String Quartet No.2 in D major Op.35 which, in spite of its complicated inner conflict and sharply drawn thematic work, did not lacked neither the lyrical tenderness and nor the sense of escalation of its involved form.

Spontaneous musicality was manifested in the second part of the evening, when friends of the Czech Chamber Music Society could delight in Dvořák`s String Quartet in A-flat major op.105. The atmosphere of tension and joy, significant for of this period of the composer's life, was fully achieved by the musicians."

/Ivan Ruml/

HARMONIE (HARMONY MAGAZINE) 12/2001

(Concert of the Herold Quartet for the ČSKH, Suk`s Hall of Rudolfinum, Prague, November 2001)

[...] "The ensemble can be described as a very promising group of musicians with the same abilities, which is a prerequisite, but not often seen. The tone and technique of violinists Petr Zdvihal and Jan Valta are almost indistinguishable, which is a very good basis; violist Karel Untermüller is a musician of the same kind with a beautiful and rich tone; violoncellist David Havelík is an ideal counterpart for the first violinist – his good diction, colourful tone and refinement makes the total sound of the ensemble more mellow.

[...] Shostakovich's stormy and dramatic work was played with admirable maturity of expressional understanding. The expressions of sadness and suffering in this composition were really impressive and much appreciated by the audience. The Herold Quartet has much promise for the future."

/Eva Vítová/

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