SCHUBERT’S QUINTET ★★★★½
Australian Chamber Orchestra,Hamer Hall,May 16
It was a near-perfect reunion. After a 15-month absence from the city,the large Melbourne audience eagerly awaiting the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s return was well rewarded. No matter that only six players were touring,for the program was mouth-watering:two string quintets;the Beethoven Op. 104 and Schubert’s sublime masterpiece in C major.
ACO artistic director Richard Tognetti.Nic Walker
All began well with Beethoven’s C-minor quintet,a skilful 1817 reworking of his much earlier Piano Trio,Op. 1,No. 3,later celebrated in Vikram Seth’s engrossing novelAn Equal Music. Leader Richard Tognetti encouraged an engaging flexibility at the outset,the group responding with subtleties of light and shade. Like any reunion,reality was soon to intrude,with Tognetti dropping his dynamics to a barely audible level,thus at times creating some rather unequal music.
Balancing these distractions were some beautifully judged contributions from the other players;second violin Helena Rathbone,Melbourne-born Stefanie Farrands (recently appointed principal viola),second viola Elizabeth Woolnough and cellist Timo-Veikko Valve.
Fortunately,the Schubert saw players surrender to the power of the music and deliver a superbly uplifting account infused with the collective passion and pathos for which the ACO is renowned. Valve and colleague Melissa Barnard delighted in Schubert’s use of two cellos,adding lustrous depth to the group’s already burnished,cohesive sound.
After the vivid drama of the opening Allegro,the celebrated Adagio did indeed cast its spell over musicians and audience,creating a timeless moment into which all the longing and loss of the pandemic seemed to be poured. Awakened by the rustic Scherzo,listeners were propelled to the finish by the almost manic,dancelike finale.
Schubert’sQuintet was the perfect vehicle for some COVID-19 catharsis,and such a fine,life-affirming performance was well worth the wait.