This was my first visit to Kings Place, a new building near King’s Cross Station (which also includes the offices of the Guardian and Observer newspapers), so I was fairly excited! I arrived wondering what it would be like and was pleasantly surprised.
The venue is modern and stylish with open spaces perfect for accommodating lots of people, quite understated in a nice way and with art exhibitions as well as music and journalism. The concert room (Hall One) is underground down an escalator. It is very cleverly designed, with square lights and wooden walls - which help create the right sort of sound - all done in a vaguely ‘cubist’ style. The concert was given by the Hummel Ensemble. Johann Nepomuk Hummel lived at the same time as Beethoven and both were taught by Haydn, so they incorporated pieces by all composers, which made sense. The programme began with Haydn’s Piano Trio in A flat (Hob. XV:14) and was for piano, violin and cello. It was sweet sounding, and you could almost feel the music flowing round the room ... Then followed something which I'm sure is not heard often: an arrangement of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony for piano, violin, cello and flute. At home I listened to a recording of the symphony, performed by an orchestra and wondered how Hummel would manage to adapt a large orchestral piece and narrow it down to only four instruments. In fact, the way he did was very good - apart possibly from the flute, which was metal, because it gave a rather squeaky sound, I think maybe a wooden flute would have been better, and perhaps more authentic - and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The programme ended with Hummel’s own Piano Quintet in D minor and this had the largest number of players: the piano, violin and cello were joined by a viola and double bass. It was extremely energetic, and you could see the players sweating as they played it. The whole of the ensemble played with such passion, it was a joy to watch. Would I go to a concert performed by them again? I probably would.
Rhiannon Humphreys, aged 12
Hummel ensemble, Haydn Piano Trio in A flat, Hob. XV:14 Beethoven (arr. Hummel) Symphony No. 7 Hummel Piano Quintet in D minor, Op. 74a Kings Place, London Sunday 20th February 2011
©Courtesy of the London Chamber Music Society.
