From The Washington Post

There used to be a strange disconnect between the Freer Gallery -- one of the nation's superb Asian art museums -- and its excellent chamber music series, which went decidedly in the more Western, Germanic tradition. In recent years, the organizers have smartly brought the performances more in line with the gallery's central mission, presenting ensembles and programs that tie East and West together.

The wonderful concert of the Shanghai Quartet at the gallery on Wednesday evening showed the benefits of this thoughtful approach. The Shanghai Quartet gave an evocative performance of Yi-Wen Jiang's "ChinaSong," a set of Chinese folk song arrangements. The composer, with a clear knack for color and part- writing, treats ancient Chinese songs with light-handed deftness, focusing more on bringing out the mystery and melancholy of the melodies than imposing a rigid structure. In the ensemble's hands, each selection came off as a tender effusion. There were some beautiful solo flights as well as singing trills that conjured up bountiful images of nature.

The Shanghai's performance of Bela Bartok's Quartet No. 1, Op. 7, was as brooding and mysterious as the Jiang was sweet and lighthearted. This vigorous and nimble account constantly shifted mood and direction, brimming with strong attacks and bold ensemble.

The Shanghai distilled the Asian-inspired sounds from Ravel's Quartet in F. This ability to highlight these underlying "exotic" influences was nothing artificial, but seemed more like a natural part of an ensemble of such virtuosity and style.

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