Kairos Quartet: Marcia Kaufmann, violinist and Scott Hosfeld, violist;
and Carrie Rehkopf, violinist and John Michel, cellist.
THe first two movemnts of the Beethoven 59 #3
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/60/kairos_string_quartet.html

The Kairos Quartet plays with the large generous American sound which is at
its peak in the Emmerson Quartet, and at its worst in the chaisaw fest buzz
sessions of the Juilliard String Quartet.  Their approach to the tempi is
what might be called "traditional" - the slows are slower than Beethoven
marked or would mark, and the fasts are nore modulated by the tnesion
between cantilena and figuration.  For those whove read Wagner's *On
Conducting* - the essence of the method is there.

In suhc interpreations we are looking for the precise changes of pace and
tempo that signal a shift from singing to dancing in the music.  The Opus
59 Quartets of Beethoven offer many such chances, and while the third is
least well known of these quartets, it is perhaps because it is in such
a long shadow.  Beethoven constructed its first movment out of backward
glances to Haydn, and references to his 5th and 6th symphonies.  These
pastoale moments are wll wrought by this quartet, and their ensemble
through the the development is absolutely impeccable, and the tone
wonderfully fluid.  I can think of many very well known quartets that have
not given us such a fluid and warm sound here.  Particularly in the quiet
moment of trills and soft melodies that desire to waft farther toward the
minor, and then the reutrn to the flowing development.  How often people
have walked by this moment in a rush to get back to the pyrotechnics, how
often as well it has been drawn out beyond its natural length.  I would
have liked a little bit more sensitivity to the Pastorale symphony ending
just before the pedal and closing cadence - but then perhaps that is
because this particular moment is drawn from my favorite part of the
symphony, when the whole orchestra seems to be retreating into the
distance.  For those who want a more heart rending 19th century style
performance of this work, there are better places to look.  This quartet's
strengths are similar to the Guarneri and Emmerson quartets.  Balancing the
impulse to push the music, with the demand of keeping all four players
forward, clear and interconnected.

The second movment is congenial to their approach - more so than the
allegro in fact - and the quartet takes full advantage of this from the
opening pizzacato and double cantilena, through the pusling song that
anchors the middle of the movement.  Gentle upwellings of tone -well
mannered without ever being well, mannered.  Labored over without ever
being labored.  The playing of the first violinist is particualrly sweet
and subtle through out this section, whiel John Michel delivers a meaty
bass anchor and a light touch when called to walk up higher into the
texture.

The ending of the quartet is made heart felt by connecting the melody,
while still clearly differentiating the dynamics, this because the whole
movment is pervaded by a two not pattern - sometimes the first is accented,
sometimes the second.  The tone of the melody is determined by the rhythm.
The poignant melody at the end of the movment - the one which seems out
of place in Beethoven, because it is so rich with the kind of late 19th
century sorrowfulness and extended tonality - the one which those who know
this quartet wait for each time they hear a performance - comes purely,
without schmatlz or over doing, and passes away sepia tinged as a
photograph of another age.

Stirling S Newberry
Mp3s: http://www.mp3.com/ssn
War and Romance Radio: http://stations.mp3s.com/stations/8/war_and_romance.html