Review: Nash Ensemble at Perth Concert Hall

Jun 6 2008 by Ian Stuart-Hunter

PERTH Festival of the Arts’ engagement of the Nash Ensemble was a masterstroke. The flexible nature of this ensemble allowed them to bring to Perth those chamber works of a larger nature, which Perth Chamber Music Society’s concert, though excellent, cannot programme because of their more intimate venue.

For their two evening concerts at this year’s Festival the two large works were Beethoven’s Septet and the Schubert Octet. In the first concert they also gave a précis of Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel and perhaps the most sublime masterpiece Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet. The second concert contained the Dvorak Quintet as well as the Schubert.

One unusual instrument for chamber music that the Beethoven, the Schubert and the Dvorak all required was the double-bass as energisingly played by Duncan McTier.

Strauss’ Op.28 für großes Orchester - for big orchestra - was performed by a quintet! The one double-bass was timpani, bass drum and side drum and the clarinet and bassoon were trombones. The horn remained himself and the sole violinist – had a lot to do! It was a performance you listened to amazed at how well everything was covered, occasionally being jerked up at missing passages and how one part elided into another as in addition it is only about half the playing time of the original.

The Ensemble’s clarinetist was Richard Hosford, who introduced the basset-clarinet he played to the audience for Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet. It had the extra low notes in which Mozart so delighted and a slightly darker and warmer tone. Unlike the Concerto manqué of Weber’s Clarinet Quintet, this is a real piece of chamber music which draws you in. In the second movement mutes gave the strings a soft sheen and the clarinet played as a faultless singer with sensitive liquid runs. The Menuetto was given more perky playing than usual and then on to the theme and variations final movement. Here the playing was so at one with each other and the work that you wanted it to go on and on.

Beethoven’s Septet is in the line of Mozart’s Divertimenti and to its composer was an annoying success. A success it was in the Nash’s performance and not in the least way annoying! The combination of winds and strings had both sonorous depth and clear colours. The lofty introduction lead into a bouncy allegro. The Adagio cantabile second movement did what it said being full of a serenade-like lyricism. As in the Mozart it was an up-tempo minuet with an even faster trio. The Andante variations gave each instrumentalist some limelight. Given the superb finish of all of the players these came over wonderfully well. The excitingly rhythmic hunting scherzo was succeeded by the mock tragic start to the finale before whirling to its good humoured end.

In the second concert the first half was given over to Dvorak’s Quintet Op.77, a work of marvellous tunes and energy, which is perhaps heard less often than it should be due to the difficulty in finding a double-bass. The first movement was played with energy and eloquence by the Nash Ensemble. Their Scherzo had nimble articulation and a beautifully flexible poise in the trio. Affection was the right word for the Poco andante where they gave a lovingly detailed performance of light and shade. Perhaps a less structurally strong piece, they brought flair to the kaleidoscope of wonderful melodies in the finale.

In concerts of superb performances it was Schubert’s Octet which shone out most magnificently. The mysterious, expectant introduction gave way to a buoyant dramatic allegro with its powerful development. The lyrical tone of Richard Hosford’s clarinet launched the Adagio and there were many fine vocal touches throughout. The scherzo was indeed vivaciously accented, with nice bucolic touches to the trio.

The Theme and Variations was given a humorously prim start, then relaxed into the atmosphere of a group of friends pleasurably making music together. The Minuet was romantically nostalgic given with beautifully warm textures and a swing to the trio. There were Romantic horrors with tremolos and repeated notes in the Finale’s introduction before the comfortably affable main allegro, some almost orchestral fireworks notwithstanding, before the dramatic reappearance of the introduction lead to the accelerating good humour of the coda.

The open areas of the Concert Hall were well filled for both concerts, surprisingly a little less for the Schubert, but all performances received an enthusiastic Perth welcome.