Page 333 - Liverpool Philharmonic 22-23 Season Coverage Book
P. 333
18 October 2022
Souvenir De Florence – Royal
Liverpool Philharmonic
18 October 2022
This delightful concert in the Close-Up series features musicians from the Royal Liverpool
Philharmonic Orchestra.
The ensemble consists of:
Thelma Handy- violin
Sarah Brandwood-Spencer- violin
Alex Mitchell- viola
Gwendolyn Cawdron- viola
Jonathan Aasgaard- cello
Alexander Holladay- cello
The evening comprises of three pieces of superlative chamber music.
Vaughan Williams Phantasy Quintet (1912) is probably one of Williams most lyrical and moving
compositions. Its melody positively soars over the course of four short movements. There is an
overriding theme of contemplation that runs throughout each movement. It is a truly beautiful
piece of music and the ensemble play this with great finesse and precision. Exquisite.
Martinu String Sextet (1932) is a more modern piece of music, and its complex tonal structure is
surprisingly buoyant and full of energy. It is also a supremely emotional work which contains a lot
of harmonic depth and jazz notes over its three short movements. Martinu’s sextet is lyrically
hypnotic and although complicated and sharp in some parts it is nevertheless richly rewarding. I
particularly enjoyed the spirited and audacious final movement with some fine performances from
the ensemble.
