12:11pm Friday 12th March 2010
By Bernard Cooper
An enthusiastic audience were vigorously alerted by the first few crisp chords of Haydn’s Piano Trio in C major to the fact that here was a chamber group of musicians to be reckoned with.
John Paul Ekins took on the role of underwriting the musical foundations of this exciting opening and his keyboard work made Haydn’s technical demands look easy. Yuri Kalnits (violin) and Julia Morneweg (cello), soon joined in and the skittish theme of the rondo that followed was brilliant Haydn, cheeky, surprising and a rousing finale to a grand start.
Faure’s Op 120 Trio in D minor was a late work, coming from the composer’s pen when he was near to the end of his life and having problems with his hearing. Yuri Kalnit’s firm lyrical lines kept the cello’s song of sorrow from falling into a chasm of gloom. This is a work untypical of Faure's normal style, especially in the final movement.
On first acquaintance David Braid’s Music for Dancers came across as a charming piece of aleatoric music. John Paul Ekins, who throughout the evening helpfully gave short introductions to each piece, regaled the audience with the composer’s imagined experience of a cat chasing a mouse around. That I missed this musical insertion was a shame.
Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor was ravishing, right to its dramatic climactic end.
Congratulations to the organiser, Alan Shephard. Hopefully the series of Fine Music in Warminster will continue.
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