Not just any musicians could pull off such a blazing performance of Bartók. On Saturday night, the members of the Jupiter String Quartet from Boston showed they were up to the task, in the latest installment of the Mary Anne Rennolds Chamber Concerts series.
The Jupiter began their concert beaming with good cheer, setting the tone for Beethoven's Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 18, No. 6. This is music that invites listeners to imagine a group of friends strolling the streets of Vienna, engaging in lively conversation and occasional argument or reflection. Motifs tumble among the instruments, sometimes one to another and other times in pairs or trios.
The musicians were sensitive to the balance needed for such quickly shifting melodic lines. First violinist Nelson Lee took the lead when his part called for it, but never dominated the sound. Meg Freivogel had a slightly brighter tone that worked well with her position in second violin.
If the Beethoven is a conversation among friends, Bartók's Quartet No. 4 is the tumult of talk at a family reunion, where people know each other well enough to argue passionately. The instruments often play the same motif only a beat or two apart in sequence, as if finishing each others' sentences.
The Jupiter's performance was aggressive but not hostile, recognizing that with this music, Bartók was pushing backward and forward in time.
The second movement shows how Bartók was reaching toward new sounds. The Jupiter produced amazing sonic effects, performing at high speed with muted instruments while impressively navigating the knotty interplay of parts.
Of the five movements, the third movement is most informed by Bartók's study of folk music. It featured lovely solo work by Daniel McDonough on cello.
As in the Beethoven, the musicians showed excellent control over dramatic changes in dynamics and mood. The Bartók quartet as a whole, however, is incomparably more complex and challenging. As delightful as the Jupiter Quartet was in the Beethoven, they were awe-inspiring in the Bartók.
The program ended with Dvorák's "American" quartet, which gave violist Liz Freivogel the chance finally to play out. The Jupiter's clear, tight performance of the fast movements highlighted by contrast their expressive rendition of the slow second movement, in which their phrasings evoked the vocal feel of spirituals.
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