THE string quartet formerly known as The Lindsays may have disbanded, but its members keep appearing unexpectedly.
A few months ago, it was violist Robin Ireland. On Friday, cellist Bernard Gregor-Smith returned to York with the Dantes.
His consistently mellow tone would enhance any ensemble. But it is his finely-judged weight in the texture that inspires a listener's confidence. Perfect proof came in his tasty treatment of the trio tune in Verdi's only quartet.
There could be no complaints about lack of variety in this programme for the British Music Society. Mozart's Hoffmeister' quartet, K.499 was played in something like early music' style - if on modern instruments. That was the only explanation for the leader's rather brittle tone. But the Adagio ended exquisitely and the finale was even more delicate.
The Verdi opened in truly theatrical manner, though the tweeness of the succeeding Andantino was properly downplayed. Much of the closing fugue was almost whispered, in the style of Mendelssohn.
Stravinsky's Three Pieces (1914) still sound way ahead of their time. They were given with consummate clarity, dry, precise and, ultimately, very Russian in their flavour of ritual.
Its melodious Andantino has given Tchaikovsky's First Quartet something of a pop' reputation. Still, the Dante found something new and hauntingly lovely here, as if smiling through tears. A strongly-accented Scherzo gave way to a robustly thrilling finale.
The leader had found warmth - and the cellist never wavered.
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