At the Issigeac International Music Academy for a concert by the excellent Piatti Quartet. Prizewinners at the 2015 Wigmore Hall String Quartet Competition, they now perform at festivals and concerts throughout the world.

Their programme this evening consisted of a first half that began with Mozart’s String Quartet no. 16 in E flat major, the third of the so-called Haydn Quartets. It was followed by a superb performance of Mendelssohn’s String Quartet no. 6 in F minor. This was extremely expressively played, with all the anguish, sadness and agony that Mendelssohn felt when writing it in 1847 as a homage to his beloved sister Fanny who had died just a few months before. It was to be Mendelssohn’s last composition, for a few months later he also died.

The second half was more cheerful, with Dvoraks ‘American Quartet’ in F major, which he wrote in 1893 during his time in the United States. It was very well played and enjoyed by the audience whose applause brought a well-deserved encore.

Piatti Quartet

Mozart ‘String Quartet no. 16 in E flat major’ K428; Mendelssohn ‘String Quartet no.6 in F minor’ opus 80; Dvorak ’String Quartet no. 12 (American) in F major, opus 96.