Last updated 05:14, Friday, 28 November 2008

Martinu String Quartet for Penrith Music Club, Penrith Methodist ChurchIn her opening remarks to the audience Jitka Vlasankova, the cellist from the Martinu Quartet from Czechoslovakia, expressed the group’s delight at being in Penrith and particularly paid tribute to the church’s acoustic qualities. Why the players were so pleased with it was evident as soon as the music, Martinu’s Quartet No.2, began.

The playing was warm and richly expressive with wonderfully full tone from all instruments, particularly the lower strings. Both this quartet and Dvorak’s American, which completed the first half, were played from the ‘inside’ by a group who clearly had no difficulty identifying with the music and showing unashamed pride in playing it. The quartet’s playing of the Allegro from the Martinu Quartet was notable here and elsewhere for its robust fully integrated sound which contrasted most satisfyingly with the solo passages, particularly from the viola and cello, which were played with passion and virtuosic brilliance.

Undoubtedly the Martinu Quartet would have been less familiar to most of the audience than the Dvorak which followed, and undoubtedly also the players would be hoping to enthuse their listeners with this committed performance of the first piece but it was very noticeable that they played the Dvorak with equal passion and commitment. Throughout the performance was expressive and subtly nuanced; the opening viola solo was ravishing and warm; late in the first movement the second violin introduced the fugal subject with striking attack and depth of tone; the melodic exchange between first violin and cello in the slow movement was heart-achingly beautiful.

As the clarinettist, Angus Meryon, said, Brahms Clarinet Quintet is arguably the finest example of the genre in the repertoire and it is undoubtedly a wonderful work. Unfortunately, despite much wonderful playing, the clarinettist did not display the technical mastery of his instrument that was evident from the string players.

However these were slight blemishes in a supremely satisfying performance of a work ideally suited to these players and to the acoustics of Penrith Methodist Church.

IAN JONES