Receiving its first performance, David Lancaster’s Anatomy of Angels, for clarinet, cello and piano (2024) was inspired by the incomplete angel studies of the Italian sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680), displayed in the Vatican Museum. The piece was cast in five sections and caught some of the delicate, fragmented nature of Bernini’s five preparatory models. Two of the sections were written in an openly Baroque style, but the whole piece had an assured, neo-classical drive and polish that gave much pleasure. This accomplished score was heard to full advantage in the Amabile Trio’s glowing, committed performance.

Not all soloists coalesce easily into chamber music. This British Music Society [Amabile] concert proved otherwise, with works by Shostakovich and York composer Steve Crowther framed by trios from Clara Schumann and Brahms.
Clara’s Piano Trio in G minor, her first chamber piece, is widely regarded as her finest achievement. Its violin part converts easily for the clarinet. Immediately there was lovely shading, as the voices ducked in and out of the texture. The skittish scherzo has an attractive cello melody in its trio section which Tait Baxter relished. The centre of the Andante was aptly nervy and the spicy fugue shone out of the finale. Best of all, the players did not attempt to press Clara’s cause; they allowed the score to unfold naturally.

The mellow music of Brahms’s last decade regularly relies on the clarinet and Schatzberger’s smoothly fluent tone brought a perfect touch of velvet to his Clarinet Trio in A minor. The ebb and flow in the broad sweeps of the opening typified Romantic yearning. Eloquent cello led the way in the slow movement. In the lilting scherzo-substitute that follows, Nicholson’s piano backing was a model of restraint. Yet in the finale, after the pause, he re-electrified the momentum for a dramatic finish.

Steve Crowther’s Morris Dances (2012) are a theme and 11 variations, originally for piano solo, dedicated to Philip Morris. In the last two years he has orchestrated six of them for clarinet trio…. The trio seemed to enjoy them as much as the audience.

Tait Baxter had tackled Shostakovich’s only cello sonata with a laser focus. Thrown straight into the fray by the frenetic opening, she yet found a proper moodiness for its second theme. There was wry humour to follow, another allegro that is essentially a literal ‘scherzo’ (joke). One had to marvel at the sotto voce ending to the slow movement. She and Nicholson were alive, too, to the martial connotations of the finale’s scatty melody. Indeed he was a tower of strength throughout, never pushy, but always urging.

Amabile is a trio of experts brilliantly submerging their solo instincts to make much more than the sum of their parts.

This concert was an absolute joy from start to finish... the playing throughout was scintillating, not just because of the technical excellence of the individual players but also because of their ‘togetherness’ brought about no doubt by such thorough preparation that was demonstrated in an intimate knowledge of the music where the differing shades and dynamics were emphasised superbly. A subtle balance between the instruments was maintained such that no individual took centre stage. This was music making of the highest quality and made more so by the smiling relaxed approach of each of the three players.

This Trio was a delight to have at our centre. We had the pleasure of meeting three compatible musicians who seemed to have already been good friends for some time. The music was a perfect combination for us on this occasion. And we are hopeful that Amabile will return to our venue soon.

All three instruments produced moments of expressive beauty, not least in the adagio section where the cello and clarinet sublimely juxtaposition themselves in exquisite interplay, and the spirited final movement which allows the piano particularly to produce a full range of pyrotechnics. It was played superbly and received rapturous applause by a very enthusiastic audience.

Their unobtrusive virtuosity and excellent ensemble was never in doubt and we could see as well as hear their obvious enjoyment of both the music and playing together… What joy!

What a wonderful concert last night! Fab playing and a super programme - it was such a pleasure to be there and hear you play. The audience loved it. And that restful encore to send us home...
Amanda Crawley,