Virtuous and sensitive chamber music

Ipswich Chamber Music Society - Dominant String QuartetIpswich School 17th NovemberNOW in its 82nd year, Ipswich Chamber Music Society continues to bring to Ipswich the best of the world's chamber musicians.

Ipswich Chamber Music Society - Dominant String Quartet

Ipswich School 17th November

NOW in its 82nd year, Ipswich Chamber Music Society continues to bring to Ipswich the best of the world's chamber musicians.

An evening of Beethoven, Shostakovich and Brahms has to count high in any chamber music-lover's dream programme, and on this night all three works were performed with virtuosity and sensitivity by the all-woman Russian Dominant String Quartet. The large knowledgeable audience fully appreciated it.

In Beethoven's Sting Quartet, Op 18 No 6, we got the best of mellow string-playing, which could yet become strong and brilliant when needed. This 'sunny' work contrasted sharply with Shostakovich's String Quartet No 12 with its darker, more puzzling note requiring more diverse tones, delivered with perfect control.

When joined by the excellent Chinese pianist Megumi Fujita for Brahms' Piano Quintet in F Minor, perhaps the quintet struggled to repeat the perfect ensemble of the quartet.

However, it mattered little as the full, rich sound with its lyrical, sad and tender moments entranced the audience.

JOY BOUNDS