Pianist Mark Bebbington was joined by principals of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for a delightful afternoon of early twentieth century English chamber works, performed with the passion and clear enjoyment of predominantly orchestral players let loose on chamber repertoire.
They opened with Ireland’s Phantasie Trio, and as with all today’s pieces, the influence of Brahms is clearly apparent, particularly in the more passionate moments. Yet there is a lightness here too, as well as a lively rhythmic energy, and a substantial interlude for the piano akin to Ireland’s solo preludes. Jonathan Ayling’s opening lyrical cello melody was supported by gentle rippling from Bebbington, and violinist Tamás András responded with quiet delicacy. There are plenty of violin/cello exchanges which were matched well in tone here, with Bebbington providing contrast and greater rhythmic activity. When all three came together, the combined sound was lush, and they built the sense of urgency well to an energetic finish.
Vaughan Williams’ Piano Quintet in C minor is on an altogether grander scale, with the presence of Brahms even more evident. Following a handful of performances, Vaughan Williams withdrew the work, and it wasn’t until the 1990s that his widow Ursula sanctioned performance again. With Schubert’s “Trout” instrumentation (double bass instead of a second violin), Vaughan Williams exploits the extra potential for contrasts in texture, as well as greater depth of tone. Yet even following a startlingly dramatic opening, a quiet, modal-infused passage soon follows for violin, viola and cello, with the bass adding light pizzicato. The RPO string players found just the right level of warm blend here, and when that same trio returns later, this time dropped to viola, cello and double bass, it had a suitably darker edge in tone. The slow movement is full of mournful tenderness, and the strings delivered warmth, with Bebbington soft-toned and sensitive throughout. Ayling’s quiet crying line and Benjamin Cunningham’s (double bass) perfectly placed fall to the final chord completed a highly sensitive reading. The free variations of the expansive finale gave all opportunities for fuller expression, and the string response to an emphatic statement from Bebbington midway was orchestral in magnitude. Yet despite the acceleration to the great climax, Vaughan Williams pulls back to end quietly, and the players judged this perfectly, leaving Bebbington alone for a moment before the final chord.
More orchestral textures abound in Elgar’s Quintet, which emerged from Elgar’s recuperative stay at Brinkwells, and was one of several works to mark the return of his inspiration. Following its dark, mysterious opening comes a driving Allegro, then the slightly eastern-tinged second subject develops into a swirling Viennese dance. Here the players followed András’ lead, with great swagger and bounce. Whilst they endeavoured to mark the outbursts of accents towards the end, the degree of emphasis wasn’t totally unanimous, and there were a couple of places where duetting instruments weren’t entirely together, but the energy of their delivery made up for this. Abigail Fenna’s mournful viola opened the Adagio, with mellow support from the other strings, and Bebbington introducing more urgency. The passages of falling diminished chords, resolving into calming string chords were highly effective, and rippling piano over pulsing cello led to tender final chords from all. Once again, hints of Brahms make an appearance in the finale’s rich textures, but the marching pace is pure Elgar. A ghostly Viennese waltz moment from muted violins (Andrew Storey on second violin), an offbeat dance led by the piano and chordal transformation of material from the opening movement all bring proceedings to a dramatic and varied conclusion, with full-blooded passion from today’s players throughout.
