LF 26: Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective II

Prestonkirk Parish Church, East Linton, 11/9/26

Savitri Grier, Amarins Wierdsma (violins); Edgar Francis (viola), Laura van der Heijden (cello), Will Duerden (double bass), Tom Poster (piano)

 Members of the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective returned to Prestonkirk Parish Church in East Linton on the afternoon of 11th September for their second and final curated programme of relatively rarely-heard goodies.  Mozart’s charming and sunny Piano Concerto No 12 in A major K414 is perhaps not exactly a rarity, but this was my first hearing of it with its historically common string quintet accompaniment, with Tom Poster as soloist.  I had heard Vaughan Williams’ 1903 Piano Quintet in C minor once before, a few years ago in the Queen’s Hall, a surprisingly Brahmsian gem suppressed by the composer but revived in 1999.  As with their first concert, the turnout was disappointingly sparse, though again, as before, buzzing with enthusiasm.

Violinist Savitri Grier, violist Edgar Francis and cellist Laura van der Heijden set the ball rolling with Bulgarian-born Londoner Dobrinka Tabakova’s 2002 ‘Insight’ for string trio.  In wary anticipation of plinky-plonkery, I was delighted to discover it was nothing of the sort, but rather an exploration of the innate euphony of the ensemble sound of the classical string trio.  Nor was it a mere catalogue of special effects, though some, such as harmonics, pizzicato and glissando, were employed harmoniously.  Pleasing gently shifting harmonies were characteristic of the first section.  Melodic and rhythmic interplay (some quite jazzy and folk-like) was explored in the central section.  The concluding section was a sort of synthesis or fusion.  In summary, the piece, about 10 minutes in duration, was an absolute gem.  Well worth a second hearing and more.  And I would be keen to seek out more Tabakova.

Like Schubert, Vaughan Williams’ Piano Quintet used a double bass instead of a second violin, affording a richer and more sonorous palette and the scope for some beefy tutti, of which he availed.  Pianist Tom Poster and bassist Will Duerden (who was also playing bass in the RNS for Jeremy Denk’s Mozart piano concerto series) joined with the trio.  A great passionate surge of sound opened with the first theme.  Later its ardour was tamed by the piano, while the second subject was more tender and reflective on strings,  There was a great sense of forward drive in the development to a magnificent climax with the strings in declamatory unison.  The peaceful second theme returned, tender and idyllic, with the formerly thrusting first theme integrated and pacified.  The movement ended calmly.  My eyes were constantly drawn to cellist Laura, her face lit up with a smile as she made eye contact with the other players, especially bass and violin, matching their phrasing or answering, visibly captivated by the joy of chamber music making.  And I thought: “This is what it’s all about”.  After a brief tutti intro, the Andante began with a solo piano love-song, joined by the strings in an idyllic romance.  A more rhapsodic conversational section had lots of mutually responsive phrasing, leading to an impassioned climax.  Sweet romantic exchanges were very like Korngold (though in 1903, Korngold was just 6, precocious but not that precocious).  The piano steered back to the opening mood, and after a lovely song from the cello and a duet with viola, descended to a soft sweet chord.  Spooky strings opened the finale and twice the piano hinted at a melody.  When it emerged, it was a beauty, teasingly modal long before modality became an identifying feature of Vaughan Williams’ best tunes,  It was the theme for a set of ingenious variations. Like Elgar’s ‘Enigma’, these are varied in tempo and mood and very characterful, often with a particular instrument prominent in the characterisation.  For example, in one variation the piano erupts with violent traumatic anguished passion.  In another, cello and bass sing wistfully but serenely in unison.  After a final outpouring of joy, the music subsided to a calm sweet chord.  A super piece that deserves to be heard more often, but I can see why the composer withdrew it –he had yet to find his authentic compositional voice, and this just wasn’t it.  I don’t care; I love it, and so clearly do the Kaleidoscope artists.

After the interval and before the Mozart, Edgar and Laura played ‘American Haiku’ for viola and cello, by American cellist/composer/arranger Paul Wiancko.  Hardly daring to hope for “twice lucky”, I was again delighted as another unknown gem was revealed.  Three short movements played without a break, with titles ‘Far Away’, ‘In Transit’ and ‘Home’, traced a journey condensed to under 10 minutes.  The sheer variety of sounds and textures that were crammed into that short time was amazing.  Bluesy lyricism, complex rhythms composed of rapid pizzicato mixed with tapping the belly of the cello, bluegrass fiddle, and traditional freely expressive ornamented folksong – of a type that is called sean-nós (old style) in Ireland – were just some of the colours that found expression.  Both players were “in the zone” and clearly loving it.  It was impossible, even if one so wanted, not to be infected.

My love affair with Mozart’s A major Vienna Concerto dates back to my time in university (1978-1984), when I played in the second violins of the UCD Orchestra, and we performed it once with a student soloist,  Violinist Amarins Wierdsma joined the musicians we had heard so far, playing “my” part.  The version for piano solo and string quartet is authentic, but I have to admit that the addition of the double bass (doing what it says on the tin, doubling the bass) lent additional oomph to an already scrumptious chamber reading, without any loss of delicacy where it was needed.  The first movement, cheerful and playful and full of smiles, is the perfect antidote to all woes, and Tom Poster’s interpretation delivered every milligram of that sweet medicine.  If Laura van der Heijden’s face had looked beatific earlier on, in the Mozart she appeared to be in chamber music Heaven.  A stylish cadenza added to the delight.  The achingly idyllic D major Andante was gorgeous too, perfect delicacy in the piano phrasing when solo, echoed in the sympathetic string comments.  Its cadenza was new to my hearing, referring back to the first movement’s themes and quite dramatic.  The whimsical rondo was as playful as the first movement, the string ritornelli all the more delicious with the double bass in the mix.  Fabulous.

Another Tom Poster arrangement provided a sunny encore to match the good cheer of the Mozart: all six players played Jerome Kern’s ‘Look for the Silver Lining’ (with a cheeky quotation from ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’ appearing in the brief intro).  More of that upbeat life-enhancing medicine.  Cannae beat it.

Weblink:  https://www.lammermuirfestival.co.uk/event/kaleidoscope-chamber-collective-ii-2026/