Page 574 - Media Coverage Book - 75th Aldeburgh Festival 2024

Brahms' Second Piano Trio, for which violinist brother Braimah Kanneh-Mason joined, had
something of the same qualities. It can seem a sombre piece, and Sheku’s few words
introducing it even pointed out something tragic about the slow movement, although the
playing here made it sound a rather noble inspiration. In the passage where the piano falls
silent and violin and cello duet for a few bars, the brothers found an intimate, tender mood.
The finale made a bright close to the first half, the pianist relishing the galloping rhythms.

The final and finest treat of the evening was Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A major,
nicknamed “The Trout” after the composer’s catchy song Die Forelle that forms the subject
of a set of variations in the fourth movement. That fourth movement is not of course the
finale, and Braimah Kanneh-Mason took up a microphone to explain that, although the
programme book listed just four movements, they would be playing all five. “They” now
included violist Edgar Francis and double bass player Toby Hughes. The presence of a
double bass releases the pianist from providing support with her lowest notes, allowing both
hands to explore the often sparkling keyboard figuration.

Braimah, Isata and Sheku Kanneh-Mason with Edgar Francis and Toby Hughes
© Marcus Roth | Britten Pears Arts
My washing machine plays the tune of Die Forelle to indicate the end of a cycle, so its
associations are often with laundry rather than Lieder. But fine playing such as we heard
here brushes aside all such ring-tone abuse of good music, and what fine playing it was.
The Scherzo especially was dispatched with irresistible élan, so it was no surprise when
Sheku announced its repeat as an encore. He also revealed the role the quintet played in
their childhood, often on car journeys. So Snape Maltings was turned into a large drawing
room, with music both familiar and familial shared with us all.