Foursome young, gifted and Czech

By Brian Rudman

Founded in 1989 on the eve of the Velvet Revolution that led to the birth of the Czech Republic, the Prague-based Skampa Quartet has quickly established itself as one of the world's leading young quartets.

"They can make any dissonance heartachingly beautiful," gushes the London Times.

"Chamber music rarely gets any better than this," enthuses the Melbourne Age.

With the fame has come the touring. Lots of it. They are half-way through a six-week tour - their longest - taking in Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

Speaking from his Canberra hotel, viola player Radim Sedmidubsky is more aware than usual of the time away from home. He is measuring in terms of time away from his "gor-geous" twins. Two months old when he left, they'll be three and a half months when he returns.

The Skampa follows in the footsteps of a distinguished line of Czech quartets, including the Vlach Quartet, Janacek Quartet and Smetana Quartet, and with them goes a distinctive quality of sound.

Sedmidubsky calls it a central European sound: "It's a warm sound, with more vibrato. English string playing, for instance, seems to be more on the surface. We go more into the string, we produce a warmer sound."

The Skampa Quartet was formed with the encouragment of Smetana Quartet players and teachers, Antonin Kohout and Milan Skampa.

"When Milan Skampa asked me if I wanted to start this I thought one should try everything. After one or two years of hard work I found it felt good.

"In an orchestra, especially as a string player, you are only a member of a section and one doesn't have the room for your own opinion musically, whereas in a quartet we argue and discuss a lot. One has to learn, to be convinced, and to accept your partner's opinion and then not to have a bad time because of it.

"After all," he laughs, "it's not so important." Often when they return to a piece after a year no one can remember who it was who suggested playing a certain passage faster or slower or louder or softer.

"Sometimes it can be the person who suggested it saying, 'Why do we do this?'" he sums up.

"In the quartet we have much more freedom than the orchestra player, but also discipline. We also have wonderful music."

Adapting to working together musically also helps when it comes to travelling as a group. "One has to have a system and try to avoid unnecessary stress."

This includes everyone being on time for rehearsals and other appointments, he says, and not having too many late nights. As for sightseeing, that's basically what they can see out the windows of the plane.

However Sedmidubsky does find time to compare audience behaviour. The Japanese, he says, are very quiet and polite during the performance and clap at length.

"The Dutch people always stand up very soon. A standing ovation in Holland doesn't mean very much." As for the Australians, they are "short-clapping people, sort of, 'Thank you very much, let's go.'"

On Monday he has his first chance to check out New Zealand audiences.

What: Skampa Quartet playing Mozart, Mendelssohn, Suk and Smetana.

Where: Auckland Town Hall, Concert FM.

When: Monday, September 20, 8pm