Emerson String Quartet, Queen Elizabeth Hall | reviews, news & interviews
Emerson String Quartet, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Emerson String Quartet, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Many a visceral thrill from the legendary New Yorkers
Friday, 08 April 2011
![](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/mast_image_landscape/public/mastimages/cff8309100d74138097dbac72872bcd2.jpg?itok=8xFv7R8R)
(Right to left) Steve Buscemi, Steve Martin, Laurel and Hardy, otherwise known as the Emerson String Quartet
Could you get a more American string quartet than the Emersons? They dress like Yanks. They play like Yanks. They're even shaped like Yanks. There's Steve Martin on viola, Steve Buscemi on cello, Laurel and Hardy on violins. The night started in true Stateside fashion, an announcer indicating the Emersons would be conducting a Q&A session from the stage after the concert. I can't imagine anyone took them up on the offer. Because, for all the trials and tribulations of their recital last night at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (some good, some bad), this wasn't a performance that needed explaining.
Could you get a more American string quartet than the Emersons? They dress like Yanks. They play like Yanks. They're even shaped like Yanks. There's Steve Martin on viola, Steve Buscemi on cello, Laurel and Hardy on violins. The night started in true Stateside fashion, an announcer indicating the Emersons would be conducting a Q&A session from the stage after the concert. I can't imagine anyone took them up on the offer. Because, for all the trials and tribulations of their recital last night at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (some good, some bad), this wasn't a performance that needed explaining.
Choppiness and instability from pros like these has its visceral thrills
Explore topics
Share this article
Add comment
Subscribe to theartsdesk.com
Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.
To take a subscription now simply click here.
And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?
more Classical music
![Conductor Dalia Stasevska](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Dalia-54.jpg?itok=amtIvgyu)
![Rikke Sandberg and Kristoffer Hyldig, spreading Nielsenian positivity](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Nielsen%203%20piano.jpg?itok=xcM-LtCu)
![Jakub Hrůša, Mao Fujita and members of the Czech Philharmonic in Dvořák's Piano Concerto](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Prom%2050%202.jpg?itok=b6p8WiIX)
![Jakub Hrůša accepts well-deserved applause](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/PROM%2049-Andy%20Paradise-48_0.jpg?itok=BIHF4Nhw)
![Lyricism wins over discussion: Sebastian Kohlepp (Flamand), Stephen Marsh (Olivier), Peter Rose (La Roche), conductor Alexander Soddy, Malin Byström (Countess) and Bo Skovhus (Count)](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Closing%20Concert-%20Capriccio%20%C2%A9%20Andrew%20Perry%2037-medium.jpg?itok=2IIwa-Ti)
![Yannick Nézet-Séguin rehearses the Lucerne Festival Orchestra](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/240822_40min_lfo_nezet-seguin_c_peterfischli_lucernefestival_06.jpg?itok=0mUg8z_a)
![Philharmonia and NYCOS performng 'Fire in my mouth'](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/The%20Philharmonia%20Orchestra%20and%20NYCOS%20perform%20the%20UK%20Premiere%20of%20Fire%20in%20My%20Mouth%20at%20the%20Edinburgh%20International%20Festival%20photo%20credit_%20Jess%20Shurte_68-large.jpg?itok=lBvAX2SS)
![Lahav Shani, leading the Rotterdam Philharmonic from the piano](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Prom%2044_Credit%20BBC%20Chris%20Christodoulou_%20%2834%29%20MAST%20IMAGE.jpg?itok=EoQ7Xqb2)
![Actor Rhiannon May with Aurora violinists including Alexandra Wood (left)](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Prom%2042%20credit%20BBC%20Sisi%20Burn%20%2810%29.jpg?itok=rY7k4Vjr)
![Quiet authority: Antonio Pappano](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/req%20ap%20hush.jpg?itok=4lhhrJKx)
![Gianandrea Noseda and violinists of the EUYO](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/European%20Union%20Youth%20Orchestra-%20Young%20Person%27s%20Guide%20to%20the%20Orchestra%20%C2%A9%20Andrew%20Perry%2043-medium.jpg?itok=dmeH0Df0)
Comments
...
...