England my England

I think of the King, our King, a presidential fave, and concert 2 for me is music from that domain.  The music is more impressive.  This was music of Britain, although hardly exhaustive!  Benjamin Britten; a contemporary composer Rebecca Clarke; Henry Purcell not so recent but influential on ... Benjamin Britten.  One of the volunteers complained that she didn't like BB: he'd been drummed into her as a piano student when young.  So be it, I understand.  I like it, although on the day I'm feeling modernist music is a little intellectual and unloved, perheps from the immense success of the lyrical and story-telling Gershwin of the previous concert.  Just on the day, perhaps.  But the playing was to die for.  Australian String Quartet blasting away with precision and clarity and some edgy treble tones.

The Australian String Quartet are Dale Barltrop and Francesca Hiew (violins), Christopher Cartlidge (viola) and Michael Dahlenburg (cello). ASO played at Wesley for CIMF2026.

CIMF starter

I'm recording a swag of concerts in this year's Canberra International Music Festival.  Just audio, given how many there will be.  And just outside Snow Concert Hall, the central CIMF venue with its own recording systems in place.  And also missing some because they conflict with a few local choral concerts I've been asked to record.  So a busy few days, none-the-less.  First up was a fabulous introduction, Ensemble Liaison, I think essentially out of Melbourne but international in reputation: clarinet, cello and piano.  It's not a combination that I know, but I was entranced.  The theme was popular music in art-music settings.  Thus, Beethoven Trio for Clarinet, cello and piano (apt enough!), the Gassenhauer, with theatrical flair.  Then a take on Kate Ceberano Bedroom eyes, arranged by Nat Bartsch, bowing in one of the pics, a string of popular songs by Manuel de Falla.  But the master work for my ears and emotions was Gershwin Rhapsody in blue.  Fabulously played by the trio with addition of violin and button accordion, arranged from a two-piano arrangement, so very demanding on piano, and immensely popular, lyrical, expressive.  And in this case, tear jerking.  I felt emotional twangs and one person admitted to crying.  I could understand.  As a bottom ender, I was entranced by Svetlana's precise cello of easy rapidity.  David's clarinet was a beauteous tone, and his intros were informative and just easily friendly.  Timothy was doing the work of two pianos, so exceptionally busy, and always on top of the role.  Then Lina joining on violin adding harmony in strings and a very buoyant seating, where she's almost jump out of her seat while expressed the tune.  And James, here with an ever-present chordal part.  Loved this starter, especially the Gershwin which will remain a stunning memory.

Ensemble Liaison comprised David Griffiths (clarinet), SvEtlana Bogosavljevic (cello) and Timothy Young (piano).  EL performed Beethoven, Ceberano and de Falla.  They were joined by Lina Tur Bonet (violin) and James Crabb (button accordion) for Gershwin at Wesley for CIMF2026.