Kendal Midday Concert Club, Ian Jones

It seems to be a given that our KMCC concerts will always present music-making of the highest order and clearly that was the expectation of the packed house on Wednesday last. We were not disappointed.

“From the moment of entry of these three players, their dignified acknowledgement of the applause, the moments of pause after they were seated but before they played and then the total and rapt involvement in the Ravel Pavane with which the concert began we knew we were to be totally transported by the trio’s playing.”

In this first short piece with its sinuous melodic lines and its rich harmonies we heard – and saw – chamber music playing which defined the medium. The satisfaction and joy which the players clearly experienced was passed to us in the audience so that it was clear what Benjamin Britten meant when he said that music was an equal balance of composer, performer(s) and audience. After the Ravel came Beethoven’s monumental ‘Archduke Trio’…. All that had been clear in the Ravel – the subtlety of expression, the extraordinary pianissimos, the tenderest use of pizzicato, the range of dynamics, the care for internal balance between the instruments, the capriciousness of the piano textures, the warmth of the cello and violin melodies – was demonstrated to the full in the Beethoven.

“Underlying and supporting all of this was the clear joy which the players showed in their movements and expressions: this was far beyond merely playing the notes and we were privileged to share it.”

Having moved us all to the core we were then treated to a few moments of high velocity Tchaikovsky to send us out into the Autumn sunshine. What a concert!