Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival: Finale

Anthony Marwood, Richard Lester, Kristian Bezuidenhout, Jonian Ilias Kadesha, Lilli Maijala, Vashti Hunter, Bartholomew LaFollette, Gilles Vonsattell, Derek Gripper

• Beethoven      Piano Trio in G major, Op. 121a ‘Kakadu Variations’
• Carter              String Trio
• Schumann      Adagio and Allegro for cello and piano, Op. 70
• Brahms           Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25

Beethoven’s Kakadu Variations – an early work, although much revised – was ultimately his final piano trio to be published. Elliott Carter’s string trio has been described by Charles Rosen as a ‘…dramatic and satisfying work’. Composed in the year before his death, the trio promotes the viola to the primary voice in the ensemble. Robert Schumann’s touching and spirited Adagio and Allegro was written to exploit the newly developed valve horn, with alternative solo parts for violin, viola or cello. The work delighted Clara Schumann when she gave the first performance. Also premiered by Clara, the young Brahms’s extravagant G minor piano quartet explores the extremes of virtuosity and emotion, closing the festival with its famous rousing ‘Gypsy’ finale.