3:39pm Tuesday 16th February 2010
By Gerry Philp
Kinder weather meant a full turnout at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall for the February concert given by the Bridge String Quartet - comprising Colin Twigg, violin, Catherine Schofield, violin, Michael Schofield, viola and Lucy Wilding, cello. The artists quickly underlined their reputation as a truly first class ensemble. Haydn’s Quartet Opus 20 No.5 was taken at a more than usually deliberate tempo, bringing out the underlying pathos of this piece. The minuet was played with feeling, the songful adagio with affection, and the difficult final fugue with technical assurance. Benjamin Frankel’s Quartet No.4 Opus 21, composed in 1950, proved a tough challenge to both player and listener. Michael commented after the concert: "We were pleased to be able to record ourselves in the Frankel before taking it to Madrid next week for our concert on Spanish radio"; and the Chipping Sodbury audience was privileged to have heard it first.
Schubert’s Quartettsatz which followed after the interval was, by contrast, a continuous outpouring of melody. Care was taken with light and shade, and the whole work was played at an ideal tempo and with sureness of touch.
The final item was Dvorak’s delightful American Quartet composed around the same time as the New World Symphony. This sunny work was given full justice by the players. The exhilarating opening movement showed off the various instrumental contributions to perfection, the slow movement was played with real passion, the third movement with its varied rhythms was poised and well articulated, and the final vivace conveyed a proper sense of urgency.
As an encore the artists honoured the British composer Frank Bridge (after whom they are named) with his variations on the Roger de Coverley dance. Given a sparkling rendering it brought a memorable concert to a satisfying close.
The next concert, presented by Chipping Sodbury Music Society, will be on Tuesday, March 9. The pianist Jayson Gillham, sponsored by the Countess of Munster Trust, will play works by Schubert, Bartok and Chopin.
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