William Dart: NZTrio at Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber

The NZ Trio performing Dumky Trio by Dvorak at the Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber. Photo / Bridget Lynd

How much anticipation might have been sparked by NZTrio’s own description of its final Homeland concert — a programme promising a collision of future and past, as modern composers draw on their heritage to create something new before the joy and nostalgia of Dvorak’s Dumky Trio.

One could question whether Ernest Bloch (1880-1959), Vitezslav Novak (1870-1949) and Frank Martin (1890-1974) are truly modern, but on Sunday they certainly brought fresh music to many.

Bloch’s Three Nocturnes displayed the frank emotionalism of a composer who was determined to catch the Jewish soul in his music. Fervour was initially restrained, and beautifully so, but all broke loose in the Tempestoso finale, with dancing syncopations leading to strings bursting forth against the sweeping washes of Somi Kim’s piano.

NZ Trio Ashley Brown, Somi Kim and Amalia Hall. Photo / Katherine Brook

If Frank Martin’s arrangements of three popular Irish tunes seemed rather lightweight, Ashley Brown’s brooding cello solo in the second almost persuaded me otherwise. However, five minutes of its jig finale reeling away tested the patience somewhat, despite the musicians’ earthy enthusiasm.

Kim introduced Novak’s Second Piano Trio as jam-packed and passion-filled and she wasn’t lying. Dramatically set up by Amalia Hall, the musicians clearly enjoyed contributing the bristling energy demanded of them.

There were curious parallels between Novak’s restless trajectory and the virtuoso tumble of delectable sounds that emerged from Ross Harris’ Prendre ses rêves pour des réalités (Let your dreams be your reality). This new commission may have been impressionist in conception, exploring fragile dream states, but the New Zealand composer’s thorough musical background had one hearing touches of Viennese weltschmerz.

At 14 minutes, this substantial and mercurial work was the ultimate, tailor-made challenge for the players, brilliantly achieved.

After being surreptitiously seduced by Harris’ elusive dreamscapes, Dvorak’s Dumky Trio took us out into the sunny fields and forests of Bohemia. This too has its own volatility, and NZTrio ensured that its spontaneous flow of folk dances and laments was irresistible.