The Loki String Quartet played with passion and precision in a thrilling Boston debut on May 27th. Formed in the last year by violinists MacFarland Masterton and Subaiou Zhang, violist Lu Yu, and cellist Seth MacLeod, this dynamic new ensemble is a powerful, fresh voice in the Boston music scene and judging by their performance, we will be hearing much much more from them in the coming years.
The performance took place in the intimate setting of the UFORGE Gallery in Jamaica Plain, and featured the Beethoven String Quartet Op. 18, no. 2, Anton Webern’s Langsamer Satz, and the Fritz Kreisler Quartet in A minor. One particular highlight for this audience member was the Webern, a melancholic, deeply romantic work, which was played with loving tenderness and a beautiful blend of sound. The opening Beethoven Quartet was rendered with incisive articulation and a boisterous joviality, emphasizing the dynamic, revolutionary character of the Beethovenian spirit.
After the intermission, the Kreisler Quartet was played with a urgency, intensity and passion which gave this late Romantic work the sense that it was composed only yesterday. Loki’s performance featured spoken introductions to each piece given by individual members of the ensemble, demonstrating a deep knowledge and love of the music, as well as a desire to share their unique musical message with new, diverse audiences.