THE ENGLISH PIANO TRIO
Press Report
SPALDING GUARDIAN 24th October 2002
A superb evening enjoyed
What a superb evening was enjoyed by an undeservedly small audience of 150 at an event hosted by South Holland Concerts. The internationally renowned English Piano Trio played with passion and intensity an intelligently varied programme, interspersed with delightful anecdotes as background.
After a story concerning Haydn's friendship with Horatio Nelson, the programme started with Haydn Piano Trio No. 18 in A. Away from the young Haydn's earthiness and sense of fun, the opening movement revealed a relaxed, almost improvisatory lyricism, surely one of the hallmarks of the latter Haydn. Here was thoughtful phrasing, beautifully balanced and intuitive playing, music which restored the will to live. The syncopated German dance finale responded well to the trio's propulsive tempi and punchy accents.
Beethoven was described as a genius with an awkward personality, isolated by his deafness. His Trio No. 1 identified him as a man of ideas in this exceptionally permission work of the late classical period, written by a young man with strong feelings and ambitions. The vigorous opening subtly changes to a more lyrical theme, revealing a strength of thematic invention. The dark slow movement demonstrated a beautiful violin, cello, piano balance, where so often the modern piano overwhelms the strings. The final movement was taut and sharply focused, with clean phrasing providing a gripping and rewarding revelation of this complex work.
To close were Dvorak’s “Dumky” trio, composed on six Slavonic folk ballads or Dumka. With the volatility of the ceaselessly changing tempi and the strong impetus built throughout this proved an inspirational curtain closer.
All in all a laudable programme matched by the verve and
precision of the playing, which presented music in a remarkably fresh sounding
style.
Michael Callaghan