Whatever your taste, be it Haydn, Britten or Shostakovich, this pre-Valentine’s Day concert went straight to the heart.
The Doric, now happily frequent performers at the music centre, were joined by the seemingly imperturbable Haefliger, somewhat more distinguished-looking and grey-headed than his programme picture depicted, for Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet in G Minor.
From the dramatic, stentorian piano opening, Haefliger set his seal of almost understated maturity on the whole work.
He never became the soloist but was always the fifth player in a rounded, polished team performance. Admittedly, Shostakovich is not everyone’s cup of tea, but the enthusiastic, extended applause at the end would indicate Shostakovich is finding favour even here.
With a string quartet from Haydn’s later years as an aperitif, Britten’s String Quartet No 2 in C, despite its wartime sombreness, was given a thoughtful, insightful airing. The Vivace movement was, I thought, particularly evocative; the Doric imparted a film-score type of lilt despite its natural agitation.
The three cadenzas written for viola, cello and first violin in the final movement, a long Chaconne, had a lingering grace and beauty.
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