Looking back at Concerts in the West 2011

Six marvellous concerts enthralled audiences in Lyme Regis, Ilminster and Hatherleigh.

Opening and closing with Baroque groups, The Blanchet Trio’s programme of German and French music for harpsichord, violin and viola da gamba in February made a fascinating contrast with Ensemble Amaranthos’s performances in October with music associated with Paris and London, cities that had attracted composers like Geminiani and Telemann. The vibrancy of the Amaranthos players was a sheer delight.

Comparatively rare occurrences were the concerts in March given by Diana Mathews viola, with Jonathan Beatty piano, performing, in the main, music by early 20th-century English composers, including the almost forgotten Benjamin Dale. The evenings were completed by Brahms’s late E flat Sonata.

The year’s featured pianist, Mark Bebbington, chose a programme of music by John Ireland, Chopin, Debussy and Poulenc, which made a most satisfying combination. Mark’s promotion of Ireland’s piano works can be heard on recent discs; no less revealing was his insight into Debussy’s explorations into techniques that were to influence later French composers.

In June, the featured singer, Katie Bray, with William Vann piano, had a remarkable voice and stage presence. Her recital covered everything from opera, Lieder, cabaret and occasional songs. Technically superb in Handel and theatrically accomplished in cabaret songs by Weill and Britten, the evenings made a lasting impression.

Powerful too were the performances of the three works featured in the Aquinas Piano Trio’s programme in October. With Ruth Rogers violin and Katherine Jenkinson cello, Martin Cousin piano is no stranger to Concerts in the West. To their stylish Mozart (his B flat Piano Trio) and scintillating Ravel (Trio in A minor) they added the tumultuous experience of Dvorák’s Trio in F minor.

Anthony Pither 2011