The Streeton Trio are a young piano trio who have been working in Europe for a number of years and are now resident in Sydney. They have been touring Australia for some months and finished up at the Independent Theatre, North Sydney last Sunday. On the program in the first half were an exuberant Mozart Trio in C and in great expressive contrast, Smetana’s masterful Trio in G minor. This was composed during the depths of Smetana’s despair at the loss of his daughter and has moments of anguish set against child-like melodies in bittersweet remembrance of the little girl. After the interval, with thoughtfully-provided coffee and cake in the delightful foyer, we heard the much-loved Mendelssohn D minor Trio.
It was wonderful to hear these performers playing as one in these works. The energy of cellist Umberto Clerici was absorbing to watch and I enjoyed his musical communication with the other players. Benjamin Kopp’s piano playing is phenomenal; he can play fistfuls of notes at very high speed seemingly effortlessly but with great delicacy, and also bring out some thundering sound from the bass notes of the huge Steinway grand at the hall. Violinst Emma Jardine plays with a gorgeous tone described as ‘silver’ by Strad magazine and as in all great chamber ensembles, the sum is so much more than the parts.
It was a wonderful concert and as well as the three great works mentioned, also featured Kopp’s own arrangements of some Mendelssohn Songs Without Words and a cheeky encore of some Happy Birthday variations.
‘Great value for money‘ commented my neighbour as we left and it was certainly a very rewarding and enjoyable concert. How lucky we are to have musicians like this in our own city.
Review for:
The Streeton Trio presents What Words Can’t Describe | Sunday 20 September, 2015 | The Independent Theatre, North Sydney
