Performance: The Ogen Trio

Auckland School of Music

Review: Tara Werner

Dvorak's Piano Quintet in A Major Op 81 has been called one of the most perfect chamber music works in existence in that it accomplishes perfectly what it sets out to do. There is not one note too many, and the melodies are of great beauty and freshness, despite its moments of sadness.

And those were the qualities communicated by the Ogen Trio, ably assisted by violinist Lara Hall and viola player Christine Bowie.

The five had ready rapport with one another in Sunday afternoon's concert, and their commitment to the score was obvious from the opening theme on cello onwards.

Comparisons with the revised Brahms Trio in B Major (1891) performed in the Ogen's previous concert seem inevitable. That work was played with an impassioned intensity and warmth, and likewise Dvorak's arch-romanticism came through clearly.

Within the four movements it was the Allegro ma non tanto and the Dumka that impressed the most, both performed with a lovely spaciousness and yet careful attention to phrasing.

So it was a pity that as a result of violinist Dmitri Atanassov's problems with his thumb he could not participate in the group's original programme, which included Kodaly's Duo for Piano and Cello.

Instead, Lara Hall and Christine Bowie stepped into the breach, performing Lilburn's String Trio (1945) with cellist James Tennant.

The three movements had a good balance, the march-like theme in the opening allegro and the composer's characteristic rhythmic flourishes in the finale given clear expression.

Meantime, Katherine Austin and James Tennant provided an ardent account of Martinu's Variations on a Slovakian Theme, the composer's Czech soul readily highlighted.

And Austin made a significant contribution with two excerpts from Messiaen's Vingt Regards sur L'Enfant Jesus, both performed with affection.

The only aspect spoiling this satisfying concert was the audience itself. Cellphones and a noisy baby did not make for concentrated listening.