An Enjoyable Programme

Chamber music at London's Wigmore Hall,
reviewed by BILL NEWMAN

This concert took place on Tuesday 18 March 2008 at London's Wigmore Hall. Straight away a scoring predicament. Beethoven's Op 87 Trio in C is normally for three wind instrumentalists. An occasional piece, it was performed here by Lisa Batiashvili, violin, Antoine Tamestit, viola and François Leleux, oboe. It worked very well, and the composer's wit and genius for the perfect set of melodies added to the enjoyment.

Dohnányi's Trio for violin, viola and cello [Serenade in C, Op 10], in a work beloved by Heifetz, Primrose and Piatigorsky set sights very high. Batiashvili, Tamestit and Danjulo Ishizaka coped well enough, but one missed the sense of daring, virtuosity and sheer brilliance of Heifetz and company.

Britten's Phantasy Quartet [oboe and string trio No 2] brought Leleux more firmly into perspective. Early Britten it may be, but the performance did it full justice.

Batiashvili and Leleux had a great time turning Mozart on his head in this gorgeous Beethoven setting [Variations on 'La ci darem la mano' from Don Giovanni].

Mozart's Oboe Quartet in F K370, beloved of Leon Goossens and the Lener Quartet, brought tonight's artists full applause to end this enjoyable programme.