"I had heard and read much praise of the Benyounes Quartet, as one of the finest and most promising of young British string quartets, but hadn’t had the opportunity to hear them until I was able to attend concerts by them on successive days...Hearing both concerts left me feeling that the praise of the Benyounes Quartet that I had previously met was wholly justified. Here is a young ensemble (and they can’t really be quite as young as they all look, surely?) with a marvellous unity of approach, a sureness of intonation, a discipline and a spirit, an all-pervading sense of musicality, that makes them highly listenable already and surely promises even more in the future.
Their Haydn playing was quite outstanding... In the opening allegro moderato they brought a comfortable assurance to Haydn’s lucid development of his thematic materials, and there was a balance of grace and substance that caught the spirit of the movement well-nigh perfectly; their playing breathed that air of naturalness and ease which is, of course, the fruit of much hard work. In the ensuing menuet they made thoroughly dancing sense of the rhythmic interplay between binary and ternary patterns; the logic of Haydn’s unexpected choice of key (D flat major) in the trio was understood and made clear. The beautiful andante, which opens with an Italianate duet for first violin and cello, was finely played, exquisitely phrased – perhaps even more in the Swansea performance than in this in Cardiff, perhaps because the smaller hall in Swansea allowed a greater intimacy. In the finale (marked vivace assai) the Benyounes responded both to the infectious inventiveness of the writing and the underlying weight of thought, both elements simultaneously present in their articulation of the Hungarian inflections of its version of the polonaise. A delight from beginning to end, full of that light seriousness / serious lightness which is so characteristic of the best of Haydn." Glyn Pursglove Seen and Heard International 02/12
"The polish of the Benyounes Quartet was new… they already seem seasoned veterans with their tight ensemble and confident projection.’" The Times 01/12
"Ruders’s ear is phenomenal, and the way he blurs the open resonance of the strings and the contained, reedy sound of the accordion is pure magic – and magically played by Levickis and the Benyounes members. The combination of volatility, precision and differences of instrumental attack was breathtaking, and the assimilation of string sound by accordion and vice-versa was captivating." Poul Ruder's Serenade on the Shores of the Cosmic Ocean, PLG New Year Series, Purcell Room. Peter Reed Classical Source 01/12
"The elements of heightened, almost magical, realism were brilliantly brought to life by the members of the Benyounes Quartet. I kept getting flashes of Debussy’s Jeux – not so much in the sound but in the mercurial, evanescent spirit of the piece – and the hysteria of the finale evoked the extremes of Carrington’s extraordinarily vivid life. The four players were excellent, with a discreet but rich viola and rhythmic and nimble cello aerating Cashian’s elaborate textures." Premiere of Philip Cashian's Samain. PLG New Year Series, Purcell Room. Peter Reed, Classical Source 01/12
“This all-female ensemble is particularly fine. They played here with passion and confidence: the ferocious virtuosic demands of the Bartok were negotiated with aplomb. It was a cogent and persuasive performance - the musicians are already strong, energetic communicators on top of their technical accomplishment. A really winning combination of ardour and exuberance." N.H. Reeve, Seen and Heard International 05/11
"The overriding impression left by the Benyounes String Quartet was of great musicianship and unity. It was clear that they fully empathised with the music." Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press 02/11
"The maturity and sensitivity of the playing by all members of the ensemble was delight; they played as one
instrument." Peter Marks, Galloway Gazette 02/11