The London Concertante

27th March 2009

Mahler Piano Quartet in A minor “Unfinished”
Mendelssohn Piano Quartet No 1 in C minor, Opus 1
Schubert Piano Quintet in A “The Trout” D 667

London Concertante The London Concertante rounded off the NYS season with a concert of high spirits, youthful confidence and optimism. They chose two student works by Mahler and Mendelssohn which were astonishingly assured since Mahler was only 16 and Mendelssohn almost indecently young at 13. The second half of the concert was given over to Schubert and his Trout. It is true that he, at 23, was no longer a student but his verve and joie de vivre matched theirs.

The London Concertante, who had reserves of verve themselves is a group of some 17 years standing with a fine reputation -- the Gramophone Magazine has spoken of their panache and thrilling virtuoso playing - and they were to maintain that high standard in this concert.

In his quintet Mahler was already showing something of his later orchestral expansiveness. It is a confident student piece, his only chamber work extant and very well worth an airing. It has a dying fall which makes one ask: was it deliberate or were there other more pressing musical interests calling his attention elsewhere?

Mendelssohn, of course, was a seasoned composer by the time of this quartet, lighter in tone than Mahler‘s, echoing his contented and sunny life at that time with his father a successful banker and his parents entertaining many of the cultural heavyweights of the period. Both pieces were fun and of interest to lovers of their mature compositions.

Just before the interval the Concertante brought on their double bass and, now a quintet, they played ‘Oblivion’ by Piazzola, a concert tango. An unlooked for lollipop.

But the major work of the evening was Schubert’s Trout. It is deservedly hugely popular and one of the liveliest he ever wrote. He went to some trouble apparently to give it a vivacious, leaping character full of the carefree spirit of summer. It was also, incidentally, the first quintet ever composed for piano and strings. Then, as an encore, the Concertante’s first (and in this case only) violin played with impressive virtuosity his own composition, Five Naked Ladybirds, a cod gipsy piece.

Thus another fine season reached its conclusion.

Reviewer: Stanley Coward
Photographer: David James