Brighton Unitarian Church, Sunday 5 July 2015

Frank Bridge is still something of an unknown quantity and we rarely hear his chamber music. All the more enjoyable then to hear three sets of Miniatures for Piano Trio. Written between 1908 and 1915 for one of his students, they lie comfortably midway between Percy Grainger and the Palm Court of Grand Hotel. The opening Minuet is charming and gives way to a graceful Gavotte and whimsical Allegretto con moto. The second set is more serious with a reflective Romance and a dark, fierce Saltarello. The cello opening melody of the Vale Russe is very beautiful before a jolly Hornpipe and a final March Militaire. The enthusiastic piano chords here seem at once more sinister or possibly more tongue-in-cheek – the jury is out! Jeremy Young’s piano playing was tightly focussed and expressive throughout, finding excellent balance against cello and violin.

The second half was more familiar with Haydn’s Emperor String Quartet Op76 No3. The bravura of the opening Allegro slips into the increasingly gentle tones of the variations on Austria, before the rustic simplicity of the Menuetto. The Presto Finale almost came unstuck at one moment such was the intensity of the playing but easily regained control to finish with aplomb.

The now familiar quartet of Daniel Bhattacharya, violin, Ani Batikian, violin, Roland Roberts, viola and Peter Adams, cello, are to be congratulated on the continuing enthusiasm and professionalism they bring to these Sunday afternoons.

The next concert on Sunday 19 July brings works by Schubert and Haydn, together with Peter Copley’s Partita for Piano Quartet.