The singing string quartet effortless combine classical music with contemporary pop music that makes for fascinating entertainment.
The genres of pop and classical music are actually closer in similarity that you might think as Well Strung proved in this live performance, promoting their latest album ‘Under the Covers’ at Live Zedel.
The group has cleverly and imaginatively created some interesting mash-ups including Bach’s Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring with Ed Sheeran’s ‘Perfect’ or Lady Gaga’s ‘Paparazzi’ with Vivaldi’s ‘Winter’ from the Four Seasons. By doing this the audience gained a solid understanding of how music from different genres can impact and reflect on each other.
But as well as this, Well Strung offer a new way to examine pop music, highlighting the lyrics to great effect it offers audiences a new opportunity to see songs such as ‘Hallelujah’ and ‘Moon River’ in a refreshingly different way. It is fascinating to see how songs such as Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ (which translates particularly well onto string instruments) can be easily adapted for a more classical and stripped back approach to great effect.
In terms of the performances from the group themselves, each song performed is delivered with great energy and charm that keeps the audience relaxed and entertained. Each member of the group is very confident and self-assured with what they do – but have a sense of humbleness about them, particularly when they are quick to say that they aren’t the first to take a number of different elements of two opposing songs to create something new.
But to combine two different genres of music in this way is no easy task and for the group to keep track of two contrasting tunes in this way is tricky to navigate – but Well Strung make it look effortless. Particular highlights include the lively versions of ‘Do Re Mi’ and ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ – both of which capture Well Strung’s playful enthusiasm for the style of music that they are playing.
Overall, Well Strung delivered a performance that was enjoyable from beginning to end and filled with an interesting combination of music that will appeal to a large variety of audiences when it comes to future live performances and their latest album Under the Covers.
By Emma Clarendon