Music in Monkstown – 11th September – Navarra Shine in MIM – Review by P McGovern

The Navarra String Quartet’s concert which closed MIM last evening was chamber music at its best.

They opened with Haydn’s early Quartet Op. 9, no. 2, bringing to the piece all the free-flowing energy of the youthful composer in the first movement, balanced against the delicacy and restraint of the fourth movement and the sheer verve and drive of the fifth. Brian O’Kane, cello, and Michael McHale, piano brought to Saint-Saëns’ Sonata for cello and Piano Op, 32 no. 1 all the sadness and turbulence of the composer’s intentions. It was an outstanding reading of a demanding piece and was worth travelling for, even on its own.

Schubert’s Piano Quintet, D667, The Trout, with its glorious melody upon melody gave full rein to this outstanding ensemble of musicians and they rose to the opportunity in style, impressing with the tonal shading throughout culminating in a lilting, bouncing, joyous Allegro Giusto. It was the perfect finale to a great weekend of music and whets the appetite for next year’s festival which takes place September 28 – 10, 2017. Put it in your diary. If it is anything like this year’s concerts it will be worth the wait.