THE SERAPHIM TRIO – NUMBER ONES. PRELUDE IN TEA @ INDEPENDENT THEATRE
NUMBER ONES : Featuring some exquisite, heavenly playing this was a magnificent concert by the Seraphim Trio of three piano trios, a delightful rather striking combination of ‘firsts’.
The renowned Seraphim Trio – Helen Ayres, Anna Goldsworthy and Tim Nankervis – have remained committed to chamber music over the past two decades of performing – from building the contemporary repertoire (as in Jankowksi’s work we hear this afternoon) to developing new audiences and teaching the next generation of performers. Seraphim frequently collaborates with Australia’s leading musicians and is frequently broadcast on ABC Classic FM and on the MBS network.
In this particular concert it is ‘firsts’ as we hear Mozart’s Trio in G Major ,(1786) his first serious work to realize its full potential as chamber music in which both violin and cello have roles independent from the keyboard. Mozart’s classical style is recalled in Schumann’s rather late foray into the genre with his Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor. (1847) Complementing these two firsts, in between we hear the world premiere of Jakob Jankowski’s Piano Trio No.1, ( 2018 ) generously commissioned by Graham Abbott, in the presence of the composer. There was an intense rapport between the trio.
The Mozart was first in a ravishing performance .The opening movement began briskly with crystalline playing by Goldsworthy on the shiny black Steinway piano , It was a vibrant playful discussion between the three but the piano dominated. The second movement , an extended adante , was given a heartfelt performance and was lyrical yet emphatic with some shimmering playing by the ensemble .The third movement ( allegretto) onsisting of theme and variations on a gavotte ,had a joyous, bouncy opening .Goldsworthy on piano led again on piano like a dragonfly darting and skimming .This led to a slower ,rather more reflective section , followed by a return to the boisterous opening theme and a swirling flourish at the conclusion.
Next we heard the world premiere of Jankowski’s Piano Trio No. 1 as introduced charmingly by the composer. It consists of seven short movements beginning from the centre and expanding out wards. The first movement was glistening, the second reminded me of a fast furious whirling snow storm .In the third movement the piano sparkles ,rumbles and roars while the strings soar romantically. Particularly in these first two movement the piano was almost a ‘prepared piano’ with some pieces of the piano being moved.
In the fourth movement the piano is quite emphatic and there is an explosive discussion between the trio with a jazzlike and possibly Stravinsky influence .There is a lyrical section but this movement ends with a furious piano in a crashing tumult.In the fifth movement the piano cascades in whirling revolving melodies.In the sixth movement some percussive elements are used and the trio knock on their various instruments The strings favour high pitched bowing which sounds birdlike yet is also sharp and fractured and at one point the piano ‘bongs’ like a clock.The final movement eddies and swirls , with the piano darting and leaping over the strings.
The four movement Piano Trio No. 1 by Schumann was a present for his wife Clara’s twenty-eighth birthday. The first movement began passionately with swirling Romantic turbulence, the piano trying to keep the peace between the trio.For the second scherzo -like movement Goldsworthy on piano shimmered and cascaded .The third movement had a boisterous darting opening .Here there was far more a feeling of unison although the piano led throughout .The fourth, final movement had a poignant haunting slow beginning by the violin and piano with the cello eventually joining in and singing the aria so to speak. After a tempestuous discussion it all led to a dynamic ,darting ,blisteringly fast conclusion.
MOZART Piano Trio No. 2 in G major, KV 496 1786 JANKOWSKI Piano Trio No. 1 2018 SCHUMANN Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 63 1847
The Seraphim Trio [Facebook] NUMBER ONES as part of the Prelude in Tea series was at the Independent Theatre [Facebook] May 27, 2018.
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