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The Chilingirian Quartet The Chilingirian Quartet, one of the world’s most celebrated and widely-travelled ensembles, is renowned for its thrilling interpretations of the great quartets. Its members, Levon Chilingirian (violin), Philip De Groote (cello), Richard Ireland (violin), and Susie Mészáros (viola), are each highly accomplished musicians, blending four distinct voices into a single extraordinary sound, a sound that critics around the world have described as “balanced,” “passionate,” “warm,” “subtle,” and “dynamic.” This has been recognised on many occasions but most particularly by the award of the Royal Philharmonic Society Chamber Music Award, The Cobbett Medal and ‘Best String Quartet Recording’ by Gramophone Magazine. Since 1971 the Chilingirian Quartet has played in all of the major European venues includes the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam; the Munich Herkulessaal; the Zurich Tonhalle; the Vienna Konzerthaus; the Stockholm Konserthuset; the Berlin Konzerthaus; the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Wigmore Hall, London; the Leipzig Gewandhaus. It is now able to add Portaferry Presbyterian Church to this list. In 1976, a triumphant debut in New York made the Chilingirians a much sought-after group throughout the United States. The Quartet has since made over 15 coast-to-coast tours of the USA and Canada. Extensive tours of Australia, New Zealand, South America, Africa and the Far East have made the Quartet equally well known around the world. To hear the Chilingirian Quartet play click here. In Portaferry they played: Dvorak’s String Quartet No. 12 In F Major Opus 96 – ‘The American’ Haydn’s String Quartet in D Major Opus 71, No. 2 Bartok’s String Quartet No 6. Philip Hammond, the leading Ulster Music Critic, wrote the following review published in Culture Northern Ireland: I sit, uncomfortably, in the gallery of Portaferry Presbyterian Church, and wonder if as many visitors are attracted by the normal Sunday services. Are the neo-classical lines of this historic, early Victorian edifice an incentive beyond religion? This Friday evening's fair- sized congregation is attending one of a series of unusual musical events designed to raise money for the general upkeep and restoration of the building - and open it to a much wider public. Preserving the architectural past and supporting the currently endangered species of chamber music is an applaudable combination. But this is no mere amateur night at the church hall. Tonight's artists are the members of the internationally acclaimed Chilingirian String Quartet. Despite their informality and engaging introductions, the performers have chosen a programme which makes no concession to provinciality - Haydn, Bartók and Dvo?ák are not sops to bring in an audience. But I wince momentarily when the Chilingirians encourage this audience to applaud when it so desires, in good eighteenth century tradition. The acoustic of this austere Greek -temple -posing -as -a -Presbyterian -Church complements aesthetically the clarity of the sound which the Chilingirians produce. The quartet's approach to Haydn's Op.71.No.2 has a raw edge to it. Part of this is attributable to the Chilingirians' very individual intonation, reflecting to an extent the non-homogeneity of the quartet's rich and full sound. I sense an involving immediacy about Haydn's music in this interpretation which can be so easily lost in the over- preciousness of the recording industry's demands. Applause between movements is usually fine in Haydn, almost acceptable in Dvo?ák and completely inappropriate in Bartók. It's not a matter of stuffy etiquette: by breaking up the cumulative momentum built over four movements, the power and effect of the whole can be lost. That's what is happening unfortunately during the Chilingirians' performance of Bartók's sixth quartet this evening. Each movement is interrelated and cannot be heard in isolation. Breaking the concentration between each movement ultimately destroys the work's impact. Despite their display of technical prowess, their full exploitation of all the many and varied string effects which Bartók rolls out, their experienced attention to the challenging detail of this work, the performers can't sustain its underlying, emotional bleakness. Dispersing the darkness of the Bartók, Dvo?ák's "American" quartet is, by contrast, freshness, lightness and brightness. Its tunefulness is carefully tempered by the Chilingirians who avoid over sweetening this particular cake. They capture the lively Czech inferences, they hint at the soft American overtones, they describe the gentle nostalgia and they define the sparkling dance rhythms - but all without playing to the gallery. The audience continue to applaud after each movement. The Chilingirians obviously relish their special rapport with the music which they play and the audience to whom they play. The latter is not always so predictably well behaved, even in church. PHILIP HAMMOND As with our other concerts, the post-concert reception was a major part of the evening. Patrons joined us for dinner in the candlelit hall next to the church. The atmosphere had been completely transformed and Ann Wilson, Dorothy McDonnell and Ann McClure provided a delicious meal. The waiters and waitresses, all local young people who had volunteered their services, made a hugely positive impression on the diners. Daniel Clark of Ross’s Auction Rooms, Belfast conducted an “Auction of Promises” where everything from a ‘3 course dinner for 8 delivered to your door’ through a ‘boat trip on Strangford Lough’ to a wonderful ‘Christmas hamper’ were auctioned to the amusement and suspense of all present.