Musical journey from woe to whimsy

Brandenburg String Trio ‒

Avigail Bushakevitz (violin), Ernst-Martin Schmidt (viola) & Andrea Casarrubios (cello), presented by the Grahamstown Music Society

As I wandered home from this delightful concert I began reflecting on the string trio as a musical genre in its own right. Try to think of a famous string quartet. No problem – there are plenty to choose from – the Emerson, Jerusalem, Tokyo and Juilliard Quartets immediately spring to mind.

But there are hundreds of others. Wikipedia has a page listing well over 400 recognised string quartet ensembles. Now try to think of a famous string trio. Not so easy. While the string quartet is in many respects the ‘perfect’ combination for a small ensemble, there is something rather compelling about the string trio. Each instrument is that much more exposed, and every note needs to count – there’s certainly no room for musical ‘padding’. The tighter ensemble also seems to equate to a heightened intimacy between the players.

The wonderfully varied programme presented by the Brandenburg Trio also shows that there is no shortage of repertoire for this combination of instruments.

One of the aspects of the concert that particularly struck me was the remarkable ability of the group to effortlessly adjust mood and tonal colours as they moved between different musical styles – from the counterpoint of Purcell, the musical Classicism of Schubert and the majesty of Mozart, to the whimsical expressionism of Françaix and the grief underlying Klein’s final composition.

The highlight of the evening was arguably Gideon Klein’s String Trio.

Completed only nine days before he was transferred from the Terezín ghetto to Auschwitz, the work is a monument to life itself.

Drawing on Moravian folksongs, the three movements of this emotive work form a powerful musical message.

The slow middle movement, sandwiched between the scurrying and folk-like character of the two outer movements, formed the emotional core of the programme as a whole.

The richly textured interplay between the three instruments invoked emotions ranging from despair to defiance. Juxtaposing this work with the enchantingly tongue-incheek Françaix made it all the more poignant.

The second half of the programme was given over to Mozart’s majestic Divertimento for string trio. While immaculately performed by this accomplished trio of musicians, the six movements of this work made it just a little too long for a formal concert setting.

The four outer movements alone would have been just right. As an encore we were treated to the sparkling fourth movement from one of Beethoven’s wonderful string trios. This was my first venture into the auditorium at NELM, and what a fabulous concert venue it is. Brilliantly quiet surroundings, ample parking, excellent acoustics both for the audience and the performers, and comfortable raked seating with clear lines of sight to the stage. What more could one want?

This was a memorable evening of wonderfully varied music by a superb ensemble.