Beethoven meets bluegrass as Vega Quartet and O’Connors bridge genres at Zankel Hall | EarRelevant

CONCERT REVIEW:

Vega Quartet with Mark and Maggie O’Connor
April 25, 2025
Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall
New York City, New York – USA
“Beethoven and Bluegrass”
Mark & Maggie O’Connor, Vega Quartet (Emily Daggett Smith, violin; Jessica Shuang Wu, violin; Joseph Skerik, viola; Guang Wang, cello) [Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta]
BEETHOVEN: Quartet Op. 95 ‘Serioso’
Mark O’CONNOR Quartet No. 2 ‘Bluegrass’
Selected bluegrass duos
Mark O’CONNOR: Appalachia Waltz

Leah Hollingsworth | 1 MAY 2025

The Vega Quartet gave an electrifying start to the opening of Beethoven’s Op 95 String Quartet in Zankel Hallon the last Friday of April, and they played the entire movement in an appropriately breathless manner. Grand pauses were not moments of relaxation, but of tension, and while their tempi were not unusually fast, their approach was extraordinarily intense—occasionally nearly to the point of aggression—and also extraordinarily compelling.

The “Allegretto” was quite intense as well and perhaps a bit candid in nature—the sound was lovely and rich but perhaps lacked depth. The decisive rhythm of the “Allegro assai” allowed the movement to be performed with great character and self-control.

The stunning luxuriousness of the “Larghetto espressivo” was transfixing, created by well-matched bowspeeds and vibrato use among the quartet. The precision of the rhythm and the lilt of the following movement were just right, and I enjoyed their lithe, sparkling spiccato.

Selections from the infamous bluegrass violinist Mark O’Connor’s String Quartet No 2 “Bluegrass” followed—and this rhythmically complex work was certainly made to sound fun and easy—but only because of the virtuosity of the performers was that accomplished.

The busy passagework sixteenth notes were passed seamlessly from instrument to instrument as the musicians performed with great energy, passion, and enthusiasm. The form of the work was a bit hard to follow, but it was a fun movement nonetheless.

The third movement followed with a beautiful first violin introduction that soon gave way to a rambunctious movement that dissolved into a tender ending.

After the Intermission, husband and wife duo Mark and Maggie O’Connor took the stage and Mark’s virtuosic approach to the violin and masterful bow control were immediately evident in his work Call of the Mockingbird, which almost seemed a showpiece more characteristic of Sarasate or Paganini at times, with passagework, arpeggios, and scales running all over the instrument.

His incredible approach to articulation and rhythm continued to impress in Emily’s Reel (O’Connor) and Jerusalem Bridge (traditional) that followed.

Wife Maggie O’Connor played with elegance and finesse but a bit more muted energy—definitely a supportive role—and often even when she was playing the top line or the melody, her sound got a bit lost in his. However, the charisma and connection of the two were palpable, and watching them perform together was beautiful.

Mark & Maggie O’Connor at Zankel Hall, April 25, 2025. (credit: Erin Patrice O’Brien)

They continued the program with a song from their newest album, Life after Life, a cover of an old Dolly Parton classic called “Wildflowers.” The warmth of Maggie’s vocals brought a tenderness to the stage that felt both far from the Beethoven but also a welcome vulnerability.

Although Mark O’Connor is best known for his bluegrass violin playing, albums with his wife, and bluegrass violin method books—he was actually a mandolin virtuoso at a young age, and he absolutely astounded the audience with his virtuoso mandolin work A Bowl of Bula—an original composition that really showcased his picking and mandolin chops.

Nearly as impressive as his mandolin playing, however, was Maggie’s ability to match and imitate his articulation on the violin—her spiccato was simply unbelievable, and the ensemble between the two in the work was astonishing.

The next trick that Mark pulled from his bag was to perform his original Life after Life with a “drop C” guitar tuning—as if the program needed another virtuosic showcase on yet another instrument! The fun that Mark was having in this work was tangible—like he was dancing with his guitar.

He grinned most of the time, and the effortless way he performed another devilishly difficult work was remarkable. Sally Goodin’ Fiddle and Spoons finished out the duo’s set, and the variety of works they presented kept the evening fresh.

The stage filled again for the final work on the program as The Vega Quartet joined the O’Connors for an ensemble rendition of Mark’s Appalachia Waltz—a “modern day spiritual” as he described it during his thank-yous and introduction.

The purity of tone achieved by the ensemble was quite remarkable, and it was evident that every musician onstage was an exceptional listener. While not in the Western chamber music tradition, the program at Zankel proved that bluegrass is indeed chamber music in its own right, and this bluegrass chamber work finished out a beautifully varied and rich program that delighted both mind and ear. ■

EXTERNAL LINKS:

Vega Quartet: vegaquartet.com
Mark & Maggie O’Connor: markandmaggieoconnor.com
Emory Chamber Music Society of atlanta: pavelkolesnikov.co.uk
Zankel Hall: spiveyhall.org

About the author:

An active freelance violist, writer, and arts administrator, Leah Hollingsworth is also the General and Artistic Director of Five Boroughs Music Festival in New York City, where she resides with her husband, three children, and mini goldendoodle puppy.

Read more by Leah Hollingsworth.