Charles Tunnell and Gretel Dowdeswell

Hummel Sonata Op. 104; Delius Sonata; Mendelssohn Rondo capriccioso Op 14;
Bridge Sonata

Sutton House Music Society has been giving chamber music concerts of the highest standard since 1992 on Sundays at the convenient time of 5 pm. Sutton House is a National Trust property in Homerton's busy main road, an oasis of peace with an ideal concert room and a pleasant tea room adjoining. This concert was sponsored as a present to celebrate the wedding of the event's organisers.

Charles Tunnell and Gretel Dowdeswell are a well matched duo and theirs a satisfyingly planned programme; a welcome change from the ubiquitous canonic BBBs featured over-often in cello recitals! They are neither very young nor venerable, so they escape the hyping which dominates musical life; just two first-class busy professionals, master and mistress of their instruments and experienced chamber music players. Perfect ensemble and judgement of dynamics for the small hall.

The 15 yr old Mendelssohn's piece was composed in 1824, the same year as Hummel's less-known sonata, which proved to be fresh and inventive, with a virtuosic piano part dispatched by Gretel Dowdeswell with easy charm. Hear Charles Tunnell in an extract of it from a recital of Hummel's chamber music (Meridian CDE84217).

Delius's mature one movement sonata (1916) is idiomatic, the flow of melody and its harmonic support instantly recognisable as his. Untypically, it ends strongly instead of with his trade mark niente. It convinced as a work that should be played more often, and was well placed in conjunction with Frank Bridge's great and better known sonata, of which there is a famous recording by Rostropovich and Britten, and a more recent one by Lowri Blake, coupled with the Elgar violin sonata played on cello. The Delius & Bridge sonatas are coupled by Peter and Raphael Wallfisch on Chandos 8499.