In his great Serenade Dvořák captures something of the radiant good-humour of Mozart, while Beethoven shows his own witty side. Clara Schumann’s delicate Romances showcase a young star violinist, while Lachlan Skipworth crafts a new work for mixed quartet.

BEETHOVEN Clarinet Trio Op. 11 (1797-98)

SKIPWORTH New work – premiere performance (2025)

SCHUMANN Three Romances Op. 22 (1853)

DVOŘÁK Serenade Op.44 (1878)

David Griffiths, clarinet; Dimity Hall, violin; Julian Smiles, cello; with guest artists Timothy Young, piano; Carla Blackwood, horn; Andrew Barnes, bassoon; Huw Jones, oboe; Andrew Meisel, double bass and in collaboration with Melbourne Conservatorium of Music

Blown away by a performance of Mozart’s Gran partita, the 36-year old Dvořák was inspired to write one his own most joyful and extrovert works, the Serenade, Op.44, performed in this concert by the Ensemble with guest artists from Melbourne. It is pure Dvořák, with reference to Czech dances and marches, and his folk-inflected unique lyricism.

As much fun is Beethoven’s early Trio, which exploits the songful nature of the clarinet, but not at the expense of wit and joy, especially in the brilliant variations on a hit song by contemporary Joseph Weigl.

Beethoven wrote his piece for a well-known virtuoso as did Clara Schumann, in what was to become the last music she wrote begore abandoning composition. The 1853 Romances were for a 22-year-old violinist whose technique was ‘perfect, with the finest pianissimo, the most exceptional bravura’ – Joseph Joachim.

The Ensemble completes this celebratory final program with a much anticipated new work by Australian composer Lachlan Skipworth.