ENSEMBLE D’ACCORD
Chamber-music groups made up of full-time instrumentalists (like Chicago Symphony members) can sometimes beat a dedicated part-time outfit in terms of technical achievement. But very seldom does one find in them the commitment to the music that is the rule with part-time players like Ensemble d’Accord; such commitment often produces dynamic, intensely personal music. Ensemble d’Accord has generally been both dynamic and personal right from the start; but in the past some members were technically weaker than others, and some acted like soloists, not always working together with their colleagues. Personnel changes and a higher level of commitment seem to have taken care of these problems.
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The other highlight of the concert was the Peter Schickele Quartet, in four movements, for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano. This jazzy and original work is quite unlike the P.D.Q. Bach oeuvre for which Schickele is famous, and much less derivative than some of his other works. The “pirate music” finale was particularly effective in its driving five-eight rhythm.
