Silja Trio 13 September 2025 A capacity audience filled St Cuthbert’s church in Allendale for the second of two concerts organised in 2025 and were rewarded with astonishingly mature performances by members of the Silja Trio – Georgia Bloomfield, violin, Cillian Hennessy, cello, and Hanna Csermely, piano, all students at the Royal Northern College of Music.
A charming arrangement of Fauré’s well-known song ‘Après un Rêve’ opened the concert, and this was followed by the rarely-heard piano trio by the 18 year old Debussy, (‘a great many notes accompanied by a great deal of friendship to his teacher’ says the composer!). The trio is perhaps not wholly typical of the composer of one of the 20thcentury’s greatest string quartets and numerous orchestral masterpieces, but its romantic melodies were refreshing and nevertheless ensure its place in any programme.
‘Inverno Porteño’, a colourful piece by the Argentinian king of Tango, Astor Piazzola, ended the first part of the concert.
The second half was devoted to the music of Shostakovich -five of his tuneful and characteristically witty encore pieces and then the great E minor Trio, Op.67. The three musicians rose to the technical and musical challenges of this historically significant masterpiece with awe-inspiring ease, the piece was a reaction to the horrific events of WW II and in particular, the Holocaust. The Silja’s performance created an heart-felt, emotionally charged atmosphere inside St Cuthbert’s, fully justifying the rapturous standing ovation which followed their performance. We even had a member of the appreciative and musically well educated audience who had met Shostakovich.
A truly memorable, great evening, rounded off as usual by the now almost legendary suppers provided by the Music in Allendale committee.
(Silja, incidentally, is the old German spelling of Cecilia, patron saint of Music- she would have been thrilled by this evening of high-class music-making!).
Dov Goldberg and the Frankland Quartet 26 April 2025 Concert review:
Our concert in April was a huge success, the fine acoustic of St. Cuthbert’s Church echoing to the glorious sound of the The Frankland Quartet, with Dov Goldberg, clarinet, who attracted a large audience. Sarah Roberts and Sophie Appleton, first and second violins, Tom Rathbone, cello and James Slater, viola, longtime colleagues in the Royal Northern Sinfonia, with Dov Goldberg, clarinet, brought music of an international standard to the village of Allendale. Their programme included masterpieces by Haydn, Arthur Somervell and Mozart.
The concert opened with their bright, full-blooded dispatch of Haydn’s G Major Quartet, Op 77, No 1 with its delightful Allegro moderato opening movement skillfully and finely developed by this talented Quartet. The Adagio was rendered with a tender melancholy between the duetting violin and cello. The short, 3rd movement Minuet played with pace, the trio interjected lending a more vibrant folk-dance feel, before returning to the opening theme. The Presto finale playfully brought the piece to a momentous conclusion. Too seldom is an audience treated to the music of English composer, Arthur Somervell, born in Windermere, his only chamber work was a fine choice, reminiscent of Brahms, but in no way imitative. The clarinet playing was touching in its richness and romance, a treat for all present to hear this exquisite English lamentation.
Both performances were characterized by a combination of elegance, charm, and energy. After an interval full of bonhomie and slaked thirsts, the atmosphere was one of electric expectation with the audience returning to the beautiful and elegant melodies of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581. Dov Goldberg and the Frankland’s performance was beautifully inflected, giving a rich, soothing and seamless performance with the audience lifted by their sublime musical ability, bringing the Quintet to a joyous conclusion. The players' ability to give even familiar works a sense of revelation, left our souls enriched. Audience feedback was overwhelming, praise was given for their emotional engagement and sense of spontaneity, so the standing ovation after the lively encore was indeed well deserved.
The evening’s icing on the cake was the chance to mingle with the musicians during the lavish supper provided by the hard-working committee of Music in Allendale.
2024 Concert Reviews
It was fitting that the Heath String Quartet were chosen to play in Music in Allendale’s first concert in 5 years: formed in 2002 they have been regular visitors to Allendale, always attracting a large audience.
SATURDAY JUNE 15 2024 HEATH STRING QUARTET HAYDN: String Quartet in Eb, Op.64 no.6 HENRIETTE BOSMANS: String Quartet A LYADOV: Sarabande & Fugue RAVEL: String Quartet in F
Over the years the Heath Quartet’s two violins have changed, whilst their viola player – Gary Pomeroy- and cellist – Christopher Murray- have been with the group since the beginning. Sarah Wolstenholme and Juliette Ross alternate as first and second violins, a practice more common today than heretofore. This is not the place to say which of the two brought more fire and tenderness to the first violin parts, suffice to say that brilliance and sweetness of tone were features of both.
Haydn’s Eb quartet from the Op. 64 set abounds in the lyricism, dynamic contrast and, above all, the humour which mark him out from all other composers.
Lyadov’s two short pieces, though slight, were well worth a hearing, whilst the quartet by the Dutch composer Henriëtte Bosmans, was nothing short of a revelation; banned from publishing her music by the repressive regime of the Nazis it is only in recent years that audiences have been able to assess the full extent of her impressive achievement.
After the interval came the quartet by Ravel, surely one of the greatest examples of early 20th century chamber-music, the Heath’s complete mastery of this vibrant, colourful and rhythmically invigorating music reaffirming their reputation as one of the leading ensembles in the UK.
The evening’s icing on the cake, as it were, was the lavish supper provided by the hard-working committee of Music in Allendale.
Our second concert on 14th September, was a sell out recital by the Cypriot pianist, Martino Tirimo. Among other notable achievements he has recorded the complete piano works both of Beethoven and of Chopin.
MARTINO TIRIMO - PIANO SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 2024
BEETHOVEN: 7 Ländlerische Tänze (7 Country Dances) WoO11 BEETHOVEN: Sonata No.32 in C minor Op.111 CHOPIN: 3 Mazurkas Op.59 CHOPIN: Polonaise-Fantaisie in A flat Op.61 CHOPIN: Waltz in C sharp minor Op.64 No.2 CHOPIN: Waltz in A flat Op.42 CHOPIN: Ballade No.1 in G minor Op.23
It was heart-warming to see St Cuthbert’s Church filled almost to capacity for the concert on September 14, a truly impressive recital by the Cypriot pianist Martino Tirimo, making his third visit to Allendale. He brought poetry as well as virtuosity to a programme which only a pianist of his calibre could contemplate performing. After an aperitif in the form of some tuneful country dances by Beethoven – all of whose keyboard music Tirimo has recorded – he scaled the heights of that Everest among the late sonatas, the last one of all, Op.111 in C minor.
Tirimo has also recorded the complete piano works of Chopin, and the second half of the concert was devoted to some of his Mazurkas, a Scherzo, a Polonaise, and a Ballade; it’s hardly surprising that the exiled Pole’s held Parisian audiences in thrall with his music, even if they too would perhaps have welcomed a Nocturne or too to offset the flamboyant aspects of his style.
It was a generous programme, not ending until nearly 10 pm; the music was followed as usual by lavish refreshments, provided by the members of the MinA committee. We now have to wait until 2025 for more live music. Once again there will be two concerts, the first, on April 26, featuring the sublime quintet for clarinet and strings by Mozart and the ravishingly beautiful quintet by Arthur Somervell, first heard in 1919. Dov Goldberg and members of the RNSO will be the performers.
