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Schumann, Piano Trio No 2 in F, Op 80. The Dutch Storioni Trio, Bart van der Roer (piano), Wouter Vossen (violin) and Marc Vossen (cello) had been at Wigmore Hall last week and we were privileged to have them at Blackheath today. Unfortunately the clocks changed and went forward at 2 a.m. which may explain why only some twenty people turned up? Or was it a strange name, the Georgian composer Nodar Gabunia (1933-2000) that put them off? The Storioni Trio Amsterdam was set up in 1995, and derives its name from the Laorentius Storioni violin from Cremona 1794, currently being played by Wouter Vossen. This is a top class piano trio and they gave their programme with total security and mutual understanding. Schumann had room to breathe, but was not 'pulled about' for effect or over romanticised. Balance was excellent, with the Blackheath Bösendorfer wide open and responsive to Bart van der Roer's uninhibited and sympathetic chamber music playing. The novelty, by a composer admired by Shostakovich, was both direct and accessible, and highly dramatic. It was a late work, looking back over life when ill. There were choes of Schnittke and of Kancheli in the changing moods, bitter-sweet naivety, striking cadenzas for the two strings together and for the piano, chorales suggesting religious devotion, a powerful finale suggesting that death was not to be welcome visitor to Nodar Gabunia. I was not able to remain for the Dumky Trio, but can assure you confidently that it was a memorable performance! The recital is a feather in the cap for the organisers of Blackheath's Sunday Mornings programmes. But will the Storionis risk coming out to South East London again? CHAMBER DOMAINE 18 April For a different reason from the above, I also heard only the first half of Chamber Domaine's programme, which turned away Blackheath's Sunday morning audience except for a hardy few with their enterprising programme, nor were they helped by the London Marathon starting in Blackheath that rainy morning. Judith Weir's little Bagpiper's String Trio went well, its sad little story about a Scot's execution because the bagpipes were deemed to be a 'weapon' encapsulated in three pithy movements. alance problems tended to spoil the two vocal items. Judith Bingham's My Father's Arms had us striving to hear the interesting words, mostly drowned out by the string trio's over forceful accompaniment by. Similarly, Philip de Pledge did not restrain the piano to help Helen Meyerhof get across Thomas Adès' long drawn out moral tale for hoteliers - no smoking in bedrooms please because of fire risk! Her singing, a nice light soprano, mercifully free of the usual obligatory vibrato, was the best reason for being there (is she an early music specialist?). No doubt the balance will be perfect on the forthcoming CD and the Adès is available on EMI Debut CDZ5 69699-2. The auguries for a great performance of the Schumann Quintet (not a favourite of mine) were not good, so I didn't stay. Serafina Steer (harp, percussion & voice) This was a well planned lunch-time recital in association with Trinity College of Music, given by a promising young harpist who conceived a thematic programme about Ariadne of Naxos, centring on a major work by R Murray Schafer, one of whose string quartets heard at Blackheath stimulated a major exploration of this important Canadian composer. The interludes for harp and percussion from his The Crown of Ariadne required extended techniques and special tuning, plus simultaneous control of an array of percussion deployed with aplomb by spare hands and feet (bells on her ankles). This is just the sort of thing to bring in the critics, and on this occasion it did not daunt the fickle Blackheath audience who came in gratifying numbers. Serafina Steer showed stirling musicianship in Bach's Lute Suite BWV 997) and demonstrated the suitability of her instrument for this and for the moving Lachrimae Antiquae Pavan of Dowland. She also included a song of her own, Love glove, crooning it quietly as if to herself whilst embracing her instrument; a pretty picture! All she needs is a little more confidence (playing from music if that feels more comfortable) and attention to vocal projection in her singing and spoken introductions. |
Storioni Trio Amsterdam