Libertadores String Quartet make a Big Noise in Aberdeen

Libertadores String Quartet played Aberdeen's Cowdray Hall on the 4^th of November.

The Quartet are all members of the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela and are products of "El Sistema" the musical education system developed in Venezuela by Maestro Jose Antonio Abreu.

In Venezuela currently 300,000 children are being educated in this manner.  The intention being to produce not just musicians but happy adults with skills of teamwork, confidence, pride and aspiration to help them prosper.

The charity Sistema Scotland seeks to replicate this work through its Big Noise project in the Raploch area of Stirling and also in Govanhill in Glasgow. Interest has been expressed in Dundee and Aberdeen (hence the concert) about being the next location in Scotland for this work.

There were many reasons to go to the concert, aside from a simple enjoyment of chamber music, or a general interest in musical education.

An interest in the Bolivarian revolution which supported and nurtured El Sistema and an interest in regenerating the City of Aberdeen and defeating poverty also figured in the reasons that brought a broad cross-section of people to attend.

No doubt this mass appeal accounted for the full and appreciative audience that the Quartet found in the stuffy setting of the Cowdray Hall. As well as the usual chamber music crowd, there were a large number of diaspora Venezuelans (Aberdeen and Venezuela share a current interest in oil reserves).

Civic dignitaries shared the hospitality of the Lord Provost before the gig. It would be good to see the city put its weight behind the establishment of a Big Noise project in Aberdeen.

Bringing up the rear were a large number of people (like myself) who are not regular attenders at chamber music events but were glad of this opportunity to do so.

Like the Venezuelans we had to buy our tickets and we were not disappointed. Many of us share an interest in regenerating what is the most unequal of all of Scotland's cities. We were keen to show our support for Sistema Scotland and attempts to expand their current projects.

The programme started with Mozart's String Quartet No.17 K458 “The Hunt”. I must confess that I've never been a fan of this piece. That is clearly my loss as the audience showed their appreciation on all sides.

Continuing with an early Beethoven Quartet No. 11 Op.95 “Serioso”, the lads showed great rhythmic assurance and grasp of the dynamics of the piece. Again, not one of my favourites.

After these two examples of the European quartet repertoire came a fine noisy interval.

Fruit punch was served. Alas the alcohol had been reserved for the civic dignitaries. This just made the traditional Venezuelan punch all the more acceptable for the large number of children in the audience.

First violinist Eddie Cordero made a brief speech recalling that the first international recognition that El Sistema received was back in 1976 when the fledgling orchestra was invited to play at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

The music continued with a piece from Argentinean composer Alberto Ginastera. String Quarter No. 1 Op.20.

The first movement is marked “violento ed agitato” and they weren't kidding. It was edgy, it was full of movement, as well as being cerebral it was visceral.

The second movement built on the first and really brought out the life in the piece and the players. Lots of left hand pizzicatto and con legno passages added to the interest.

The third movement “Calmo e poetica” was played with mutes on all the instruments.

The final movement “Allegramente rustico” was full of effects evoking guitar sounds almost, with rhythms of rural dances and knocking on the wood of the instruments.

In case you can't tell, this reviewer loved it. The audience did as well.

As already referred to, not a traditional chamber music audience. How could one tell?

The usual convention about not applauding at the end of individual movements but only at the end of the piece was totally and happily ignored.

The audience showed their appreciation freely and truthfully and the performances on stage were the better of it.

Not one but two encores followed. The favourite for me was the quartet's setting of a Chick Corea piano piece “Senor Mouse”.

Loved it. You can find out more about El Sistema in Scotland by visiting the website at

http://makeabignoise.org.uk/welcome-to-big-noise-raploch/