Hollywood String Quartet Honors Legendary Predecessors
New Hollywood String Quartet and Jean-Yves Thibaudet Deliver a Magnificently Remade Franck Quintet
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A Legacy of Sound and Innovation in Los Angeles
The New Hollywood String Quartet, featuring Rafael Rishik, Andrew Shulman, Tereza Stanislav, and Robert Brophy, recently presented a program that, while not mirroring the breadth of the original Hollywood String Quartet, offered a compelling selection of pieces that have perhaps been overlooked by contemporary audiences. Their performance of Borodin’s Second String Quartet, a work that the original quartet famously recorded with a swashbuckling flair, resonated with a particular historical significance. It was this very quartet that is believed to have captured the attention of L.A. director Edwin Lester, leading to the 1953 premiere of his musical “Kismet,” which ingeniously adapted parts of borodin’s composition. “kismet” went on to achieve considerable success on broadway, showcasing the enduring power of classical music to inspire new artistic endeavors.
A Tale of Two Interpretations: Borodin and Wolf
While the New Hollywood String Quartet’s approach to Borodin’s Second String Quartet was characterized by a more robust tone and overt interaction, it offered a distinct contrast to the silken and playful interpretation of the original Slatkin and crew, who were all Russian-trained musicians. This difference in stylistic approach was further highlighted in their rendition of Hugo Wolf’s “Italian Serenade.” The New Hollywood’s performance was lush and Italianate, imbuing the short piece with a rich, romantic quality. This stood in contrast to an early 1950s recording of the same work, which danced with a lighter, more delicate touch.
the Grandeur of Franck’s Piano quintet
The centerpiece of the evening was César Franck’s Piano Quintet. Leonard Slatkin, a figure deeply connected to the legacy of L.A.’s musical scene, recalled that his parents’ 1955 recording of this work, featuring his uncle Victor Aller on piano, did not sell well. Slatkin attributed this to the album’s ”saturnine painting of a composer that few would recognize,” and humorously noted his parents’ tendency to find fault, even with their own performances. The recording itself is described as slow and commanding, a testament to the era’s interpretative styles.
For the Huntington performance,Jean-Yves Thibaudet proved to be the ideal guest artist. Thibaudet, a French pianist with a renowned affinity for German music, was exceptionally well-suited to the “big-boned” performance of the Belgian-French composer’s Wagner-inspired score. His artistry brought a fresh, yet deeply respectful, dimension to the quintet.
A Legacy of Musical Openness and Future Generations
Thibaudet’s connection to los Angeles is long-standing, and his versatility as a performer is widely recognized. He is currently featured on the soundtrack recording of Dario Marianelli’s “Pride & Prejudice,” which has achieved significant success on both Billboard’s classical and classical crossover charts. The rapport between Thibaudet and conductor Leonard Slatkin was palpable, with decades of shared musical experiences culminating in a moment where Slatkin, a testament to their deep friendship, turned pages for Thibaudet during the Franck performance.
Witnessing the 80-year-old Slatkin on stage evoked a profound sense of history, a poignant reminder of the roots of L.A.’s musical openness, a legacy embodied by his parents. The narrative of Slatkin’s drive home, tracing the path Albert Einstein might have taken during his Caltech years, further underscored this connection to a rich past. Einstein, who lived a short bike ride away, also engaged with the L.A. Philharmonic, not solely for his violin prowess but for his esteemed intellect.
The New Hollywood String Quartet and Jean-Yves Thibaudet did not aim to merely recreate the past in their rendition of Franck’s quintet. Rather, through their opulent sound and expressive explosiveness, they offered a magnificent “remake,” demonstrating how contemporary artists can honor tradition while forging their own powerful interpretations.
Looking ahead, Leonard slatkin, a former music director of the L.A. Phil at the Hollywood Bowl, is set to return to the venue where his parents first met in 1935 at a Hollywood Bowl Symphony competition. His upcoming July 24 program will feature a new work by the next generation of Slatkins,his son Daniel,a composer for film and television,further cementing the family’s enduring contribution to the musical landscape.