Trio Echnaton at The Pepper Canister

dublin | arts and media | news report Monday March 13, 2006 12:29 by Sean Crudden - impero sean at impero dot iol dot ie Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth. 087 9739945

Flawless Performance

The recital by Trio Echnaton in the Pepper Canister Church, Upper Mount Street, Dublin, was presented by the Association of Music Lovers and the Goethe-Institute, Dublin, assisted by the Arts Council’s Small Festivals and Events Scheme. I would venture to say that those who attended the sweetly realised recital on Sunday afternoon are indebted to them all.

The members of Trio Echnaton are, Wolfram Brandl (violin), Sebastian Krunnies (viola) and Frank-Michael Guthmann (cello).

The program was:-

Beethoven (1770 - 1827)

String trio in D minor, Opus 9 No.2

Volker David Kirchner (1942 - )

String Trio (2000)

INTERVAL

Mozart

Divertimento in E flat major K.563

From where I sat in the church my attention was focussed on Brandl who seems to me to be the leading figure in this well rehearsed and thorough outfit. He spread the music out with a smooth, evenly modulated “voice.” It could not be justly said that he is a dainty musician but he tripped lightly through this recital. The underlying tempo of the recital was fast - but even in the fastest passages nothing was hurried or fraught. The pitch and the accent was always convincing - there was no heavy emphasis or self-indulgence. Even tiny sounds carried very clearly in the church and, I thought, the audience was receptive and very appreciative.

Even in the wails and dramatic bursts of the modern piece the trio seemed to be in a comfort zone and the reigning sense of easy control was, in a way, just as apparent as in the classical pieces.

In boxing parlance there were no knock-out blows in this recital but the trio scored a runaway points victory. The beast of error and untidiness was kept well outside the ring.