Back to the stage. We got to ACO for their first concert tour. It was small, but neat. Nothign like the 20-or-so normal players. This was six players over 2 quintets. Beethoven, with doubled violas and Schubert with doubled cellos. It seems the Schubert quintet is hugely admired. I didn't find it as interesting as the Beethoven. Simpler harmonies; simpler conceptually; less thrilling; more dramatic, yes. The Schubert was String quintet Cmaj D.956; the Beethoven was String quintet Cmin op.104. The playing was great, of course, although not without some slight, very slight weaknesses. So be it. I could only melt at the delicate lines and the purposive tones and the neat interactions. Wonderful, but nothing unexpected to be said here. Intimate and nice stuff.
The Australian Chamber Orchestra appeared in a smaller format playign quintets by Beethoven and Schubert. Performers were Richard Tognetti and Helena Rathbone (violin), Stefanie Farrands and Elizabeth Woolnough (viola) and Timo-Veikko Valve and Melissa Barnard (cello).
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