New Zealand String Quartet

String lovers might be forgiven these days if they think they’ve died and gone to Quartet Heaven after yesterday’s concert by the New Zealand String Quartet in an overstuffed First Baptist Church.

The program opened with Debussy’s Quartet in G minor. Though there was little to fault in the quality of playing, the performance was not entirely engaging. The last movement in particular lacked conceptual clarity.

Next came Unbridled, Manos Breathes the Voice of Life into Kartsigar by New Zealander John Psathas. This fascinating piece, partly based on Greek folk material, makes extensive use of quarter tones and is remarkably spare of texture.

The concert ended with a superb account of Schubert’s finest quartet, the No. 15 in G major. There was scarcely a misstep in the entire performance and the slow movement was profoundly beautiful.