One of West Road’s resident professional ensembles, the renowned Endellion String Quartet launched 2011 with a light-hearted programme of works by Haydn, Schumann and Mozart. The seats were filled out by an audience whose age averaged over 50, and whose applause enthusiastically welcomed the performers onto the stage.

They began with Haydn’s String Quartet in E flat, Op. 33 No. 2, nicknamed “the Joke”. It got off to a shaky start, with a notable lack of clarity and unexpectedly frequent faltering from the first violin, which too often resulted in the ensemble briefly falling out of time with each other. The overall character of the first two movements was also distorted by an imbalance between the parts. The second violin and viola were barely audible in contrast to the cello, who at times reached the same volume as the first violin, completely ignoring its purpose to accompany. The Largo somewhat restored the character of the work, as the writing forced the middle parts to be brought out over the enthusiastic cello. However, it was the last movement, the Presto, which was the greatest disappointment. Due to its fame as the ‘joke’ movement, expectations were high. However, the Endellions’ rendition was not full of the light, humorous character which is the work’s claim to fame – and it did not seem that this interpretation was intentional. The audience chuckled at the ‘jokes’, but their delivery was not satisfactory - the ending especially was rushed, and rather than being quietly cheeky, it merely lacked precision.

The contrast between the Haydn and the Schumann String Quartet in F, Op. 41 No. 2, was striking not only due to the difference in style, but also in delivery. The tone, balance and energy of the ensemble was much improved, although this would perhaps have been influenced in part by the writing. Unlike in the Haydn, the interest no longer lay purely in the first violin part, and yet the second violin still shied away from its full capabilities. The sound was generally clearer and more coherent, and the second movement was particularly well played - the humour and light-heartedness lacking in the Haydn was achieved in the Presto of the third movement.

After no doubt regrouping during the interval, the Endellions returned with a convincing rendition of Mozart’s String Quartet in D, K. 499. The energy which the performers regained during the Schumann continued into the second half of the concert to produce a very polished (although still slightly cello-heavy) sound, which carried well across the concert hall. Although the performance of the latter two works was not particularly mind-blowing – it was arguably rather bland – they were certainly pleasant to the ear, and with that the memory of the Haydn was put to rest, leaving the audience to return home satisfied.