THE SANCTUARY QUEEN’S CROSS CHURCH
Monday 24th October 2022
ZeNoBo Trio:
Dorine Sorber piano
Francis Moore-Colyer violin
Ulla-Riikka Kuisma cello
PROGRAMME:
Music of four composers for each of the four seasons in order, thus:
AUTUMN, WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER.
ZeNoBo is a puzzling name for a Piano Trio. It comes from Ancient Greek mythology. Unlike us, apparently the Greeks reckoned there were only three seasons, each with a corresponding wind named after the Gods who controlled those winds: Zephyros, Notos and Boreas. Take the first two letters of each wind and you get the name of Monday evenings Trio.
We, of course, have four seasons. The ZeNoBo Trio began with Autumn where we are now, in fact. ‘Canto Religioso’ by the Finnish composer Erkki Gustaf Melartin (1875 – 1937) opened the performance. As the title suggests it was hymn-like, the individual instruments soloing before blending in gentle honeyed melody. Actually every piece in the entire programme grandstanded the idea of melody. It was almost as if the Trio were pouring out for us a cornucopia of multicoloured fruit drops, perfectly sweet and sparkling like jewels. The piano played so fluently by Dorine Sorber often provided rippling outpourings of background notes above which violin and cello duetted deliciously together. In Tchaikovsky’s ‘October’ for instance after violin and piano blended before the cello seized the melody with her special warmth of tone. In Mendelssohn’s ‘Song Without Words’, rippling piano supported violin and cello in delicious duetting harmony. Each of the Seasons came to a spectacular conclusion with the appropriate choice of one of Astor Piazzolla’s ‘The Four Seasons’. Every one of these pieces had a similar structure in which the rhythmic pulse of tango was set against a sweeping melodic passage. It is only in the last twenty years or so that the music of Piazzolla has become a sought-after part of concert programming especially for string ensembles. In every case the Trio’s fiery performances of Piazzolla’s music drew a noticeable hum of approval in addition to applause from Monday’s audience. Piazzolla’s pieces always gave the performance a special lift from the rhythmic undercurrents which the Trio projected so well.
In addition to the music of well-known composers like Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Piazzolla and Frank Bridge whose ‘Spring Song’ for cello and piano with sumptuous cello playing by Ulla-Riikka also drew audible gasps of admiration from the audience, there were six composers who were new to me. I have already mentioned Melartin for his Autumn piece. His Winter ‘Nocturne’ was equally alluring.
Also for Winter, Romuald Twardowski’s ‘Youth Trio’ drew beautifully transparent playing from the Trio. Each instrument stood out so clearly, as in the clear cold air of a winter’s day perhaps? You would probably like to be inside in winter so Paul Schoenfield’s ‘Cafe Musician’s with its suggestion of blues and jazz in its rhythm and melodic line, popular music yes but not pop, gave us just the right warmth we would look for in winter.
For Spring, as well as Frank Bridge’s ‘Spring Song’ there was Lazar-Lévy’s beautifully simple piece in which rich cello playing was topped off with delightfully teasing little touches from Francis Moore-Colyer’s violin.
Alexander Peskanov’s ‘Sogno d’Amore’ receiving its World Première also enjoyed the benefit of Ulla-Riikka’s wonderfully warm cello playing. Spring also had an extra piece, a playful violin and cello duet by Béla Bartók.
Another ‘new’ composer turned up as part of the Summer music. This was the ‘Lullaby and Dance’ by the Finnish jazz pianist and composer Jukka Linkola, such lively music. Also for Summer, the Trio gave us Mendelssohn’s finest sunshiny melodic writing and slow, sweet and thoughtful music from Tchaikovsky. Then to finish a beguiling evening of melody from the ZeNoBo Trio, there was the Summer music from Piazzolla’s ‘The Four Seasons’. It was the musical equivalent of a touch of chilli added to a special dish. Yes, the tango rhythm and the Trio’s zesty playing was their bit of musical chilli that gave the music its special zing. Really tasty, I thought. What an unusual concert. Very cleverly thought out too. The Trio introduced us to so many composers who were new to most of us, and all of them definitely worth hearing don’t you think?