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[2008. 10/7] Lotus String Quartet Finished Japan Tour 2008 |
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The Lotus String Quartet has performed ten concerts, consisting of six types of programs, and one studio recording during 13 days from September 23 to October 5, and soon departed for Germany. As each member of the quartet has individual musical activities, it was on September 23, the first day of the tour, that all the members finally arrived in Japan. Since then they have been on very tight schedule, with only one whole day off on September 28. Among six different programs, the ensemble played Beethoven: Rasumovsky No.1 to No. 3, which took as long as two hours and 25 minutes, at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, Munetsugu Hall in Nagoya, Takasaki Sogo Fukushi Center, and Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara. Their superb performance won the highest praise at each concert. The eight world renowned string quartets, including the Hagen Quartett, the Tokyo String Quartet, the Quatuor Mosaïques, the Gewandhaus Quartett and the Lotus String Quartet, are invited to a series of concerts named "Beethoven: Zyklus of String Quartets", which are organized by Izumi Hall in Osaka. The Lotus String Quartet performed programs by Beethoven and Webern there. Another remarkable event of this concert tour is that four of the ten concerts, which were performed at Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo Bunka Kaikan (two times), were live recorded. Part of the recordings will be released in CD in the future (Live Notes label). At the recording session at Sai-no-Kuni Saitama Arts Theater on October 2, the quartet recorded Schubert: Rondo for Violin and String Quartet with Asako Urushihara (violin) (Fontec label). Many informed persons commented on this concert tour that the performance of the Lotus String Quartet reminded them of the musical sound by European musicians. In other words, if they had not seen the performers, they would not have recognized that three of the four players were Japanese women. These women played as if they were German musicians. These promising young female Japanese musicians gave up their careers as professional musicians in Japan to study string music as a student in Germany. Eventually, they obtained the right of permanent residence in Germany. They have been continuing musical activities as professional artists of the Lotus String Quartet. The journal published by Casals Hall once introduced the Lotus String Quartet as follows: Lotus has no model to copy. This Japanese concert tour may have reminded us that the quartet is pioneering a region no one has ever explored. The Lotus String Quartet left the Kansai International Airport for Germany in the morning on October 6. As soon as they arrive in Germany, they will begin rehearsal of Mendelssohn's Octet with the Prazak Quartet, a string quartet representing Czech. The quartet has formed a close friendship with the Lotus String Quartet. (Reported on October 6) Lotus String Quartet Japan Tour 2008 |
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