Acclaim
String Quartet Wins Over Crowd
The rains came Thursday night, but not before the Dalí String Quartet finished a strong appearance on the Kimball Recital Hall lawn on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus.

The Dalí is known for its emphasis on Latin music, and the playbill was filled with works from south of the border. Composer-arranger Ricardo Lorenz joined the mix, along with percussionist-marimbist Orlando Cotto.

Works such as Javier Alvarez's "Metro Chabacano" and Efrain Amaya's "Angelica" are familiar, and the crowd eagerly followed the rhythms and melodies.

Pieces such as Carlos Almaran's "La historia de un amor" were obscure, slower and dreamy. Cellist Jesus Morales and violist Adriana Linares worked wonders to bring the alluring, sweet melody lines to the fore.

"La Cumparsita" is a tango, nearly a century old, from Uruguayan composer Gerardo Matos Rodriguez. Javier Montiel's arrangement brought this one back to life, stunningly played, gathering heavy applause at the end of the first half.

The works of Venezuela native arranger-composer Lorenz filled the second half of the concert.

The group had hoped to extend the playbill with several more numbers but threatening clouds meant players would stick to the printed program and try to get Lorenz's arrangements completed.

Cotto played Lorenz's "Puente Trans-Arabico" for solo marimba. The work has intricate rhythms and requires advanced skills in its execution.

Cotto carried the piece with studied attention to the difficult score while having fun with the Latin rhythms. It was well done, and the crowd loved it.

The Dalí Quartet and Cotto put all they had into Lorenz's arrangement of Jorge Mazon's "Rico Melao: Preludio, danzon y cha-cha-cha," the last number. This great effort brought Meadowlark patrons to their feet with approving cheers and whistles.

Unfortunately, good things must end. This one could have continued all night, and the way things were headed, everyone would have loved each succeeding tune.


John Cutler, Lincoln Journal Star
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