Piano trio delivered a spirited and energetic performance

The Sitkovetsky Piano Trio treated a full City Hall audience to an enjoyable evening of classical and romantic music.

In contrast to Duo Amal, who also played City Hall as part of the Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts, the concert began rather gently. The opening piece was Haydn’s Gypsy Piano Trio. Sitkovestsky (on violin) explained the reason behind the name, telling of the Hungarian influence in the Rondo, the third and final movement of the work.

The opening two movements (Andante and Adagio) were both of a slow tempo, creating the tranquil atmosphere. The smooth lines of Haydn’s music were agreeable and Wu Qian (piano), who had ample opportunity to shine on the piano, was elegantly supported by Sitkovetsky and Elschenbroich (cello). The concert came to life as the final movement arrived; the Hungarian folksiness really shone through, with Sitkovetsky taking up each frenzied ‘dance’ with great intensity and animation. The spirited performance livened up the evening, with the crowd warmly applauding (indeed, the crowd couldn’t help but applaud in between movements too).

If Elschenbroich didn’t have too much to do in the Haydn, this was soon forgotten as he ably demonstrated his rich and beautiful tone in Brahms’ Trio No 2. Elschenbroich introduced the work to the audience speaking not just of Hungarian influence, but of a more dramatic work, finished with a jovial (Giocoso) final movement.

The music was indeed dramatic — a heady swirl of motion and colour and it was confidently handled by the trio. The grandiose opening was juxtaposed throughout with softer, more brooding lines. Impressively, there were no transitional difficulties — tension was built throughout the music with the barely suppressed passion keeping the audience yearning for more.

Having been composed almost a hundred years later than Haydn’s opener, the Romantic influence was clear for all to see and hear. It was great for to see Sitkovetsky getting ‘lost in the music’ during his dramatic violin solo in the first movement. Elschenbroich then provided the high point of the night thus far during the Andante second movement; a truly moving solo demonstrating his rich tone.  The wonderfully joyous and energetic end was well received, taking us into the intermission.

With beverages consumed and patrons back in their seats, the crowd was treated to Dvorak’s Trio No 3. Interestingly, there was no introduction; perhaps it was thought that the music could best speak for itself, which it certainly did.

Having been written in the aftermath of his mother’s death, it is not surprising that Dvorak produced such a solemn, tempestuous work. There was a wonderful understanding from the Sitkovetsky trio which enabled them to switch effortlessly between the wonderfully energetic second movement and the slow, tragic third movement. It was a truly impressive and communicative performance that enthralled the audience throughout the forty minutes. The best was yet to come in the form of the explosive final movement. With the audience on the edge of their seats, and Sitkovetsky quite literally out of his at times, it was live music at its best, so rarely seen in Bermuda. An immensely climactic ending finished superbly with all three in unison.

This naturally prompted prolonged applause with members of the crowd standing in appreciation. An encore, introduced by Qian, came in the form of Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No 1 (slow movement). A beautiful work that allowed Qian, followed by Sitkovetsky and Elschenbroich, to once more demonstrate their exquisitely expressive and delicate playing.

An excellent evening’s music that got better as the night went on, the approving Bermuda audience went off happily into the night having enjoyed near on two and a half hours of wonderful music.