Excellent Eschers

​We had a terrific concert last night from the New York-based Escher Quartet. There were no signs of jet lag as they dashed away into the contrapuntal richness of Mozart’s String Quartet No. 18. Then, after the briefest of pauses, they were off again, with Mendelssohn’s thrilling Op. 44 No. 2, a work they clearly know well. The ensemble’s rich texture was reminiscent of another great American quartet with a reputation for Mendelssohn, the Emersons.

After the interval came Grieg’s infrequently heard String Quartet. The Eschers gave it their all, and made a strong case for this big, powerful work to join the mainstream. Three curtain calls for the enthusiastic audience, and the musicians were off on the rest of their UK tour. It was an enthralling evening.