<<  -- 2 --  Lawrence Budmen    EMOTIONAL DEPTH

The Oraçion Del Torero by Joaquin Turina (1882-1949) received a stunning, gleaming rendition. The heady Spanish aura, solemn evocation, and shimmering kaleidoscope of Latin Impressionism were marvelously vivid. Playing with rapt concentration and musical dedication, the Amernet turned a musical vignette into a minor masterpiece! Magical!

The Amernet players were equally at home in the finely chiseled classicism of Mozart. Some of that composer's most deeply felt works are in minor keys. Lurking beneath the finely polished surface of Mozart's String Quartet in D minor K421 is strongly tinged melancholy and passion. From the first bars of the Allegro (which commences this remarkable work), the sheer beauty and richness of the Amernet's sound was glorious! Here and in the hushed romanticism of the Andante, the players vividly evoked the music's dual personality. The vigorous, beautifully detailed Allegretto was played with patrician elegance. The trio had distinctive style and character. A fiery, tempestuous reading of the Allegro non troppo had just the right contrasting hues of aristocratic grace. A splendid performance of one of Mozart's seminal works!

The Amernet Quartet essayed Catalan Concertante by former FIU School of Music Director (and now Composer-in-Residence) Frederick Kaufman and set a new standard in this fanciful score! Elements of flamenco, indigenous folk music, and contemporary harmonic complexity run through Kaufman's work. The Amernet foursome evoked the vibrance of Spanish guitars, the throbbing energy of urban street life, and the subtlety and poetry of a great fresco. Their perfectly gauged, often eloquent performance was superior to the Miami String Quartet's overly brilliant concert and recorded performances of this score. An illuminating recreation of one of Kaufman's favorite works!

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