Marsyas Trio
Helen Vidovich – Flute/Alto Flute
Olga Stezhko – Piano
Val Welbanks – Cello
| LOUISE FARRENC | Flute, Cello and Piano Trio in E minor, Op.45 |
| HILARY TANN | In the Theatre of Air |
| THEA MUSGRAVE | Canta, Canta |
| AMY BEACH | Pastorale & Caprice “The Water Sprites”, Op.90 |
| FANNY MENDELSSOHN-HENSEL | Piano Trio in D minor, Op.11 |
| UNDINE SMITH MOORE | Afro-American Suite |
Why No Women Mozarts?
Formed in 2009, the Marsyas Trio is the UK’s leading flute, cello and piano ensemble whose programming illuminates forgotten masterpieces whilst inspiring a generation of new works through commissioning and recording projects.
Here the trio invites the audience to imagine the richness of repertoire we would hold today if the prodigiously talented sisters and wives of the likes of Mozart, Mendelssohn and Schumann had been encouraged or even permitted to have careers equal to those of their male contemporaries.
For more information see https://www.marsyastrio.com and https://polyphonyarts.com/marsyas-trio/
With kind support from Howcrofts’ Funeral Services & The Railway, Skipton
Photo credit: Polyphony Arts
This concert is part of Skipton Music’s 75th anniversary season ‘Hidden Treasures: Celebrating Women Composers Across the Ages.’
PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE AT 6.15PM PRIOR TO THIS CONCERT. ALL WELCOME!
Review
Why No Women Mozarts?
Skipton Music's 75th anniversary season, 'Hidden Treasures', continued with a fascinating and rewarding concert by the Marsyas Trio with the provocative title of 'Why No Women Mozarts?' And if none of the women composers featured quite matched up to the peerless standards of the Salzburg prodigy, this was still a feast for the ear, including at least one undoubted masterpiece in Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel's D minor trio.
The Marsyas Trio consists of the slightly unusual combination of flute, cello and piano. This could be problematic in other hands, with the risk of the piano dominating the other instruments; but thanks to the sensitive and musical playing of pianist Olga Stezhko this was never an issue. So we were able to enjoy the ravishing sound of Helen Vidovich's flute in its lowest register and the velvet tone of Val Welbanks' cello, as well as the subtle contrast and interplay between the three instruments.
The varied programme showed off to perfection the possibilities of this combination. Your reviewer particularly enjoyed the two pieces by the American Amy Beach, with its contrast between the languid 'Pastorale' and the spiky caprice 'Water Sprites'; and the entrancing birdcalls of Hilary Tann's 'In the Theatre of Air', written for the trio and premiered in 2017. And if he was not entirely convinced by the use of flute rather than violin in the Fanny Mendelssohn trio this was nevertheless a fine performance, with the gentle inner movements beautifully contrasted with the restless drama of the outer movements. And after the passion and triumph the encore was also beautifully judged, the gentle and yearning 'Who is that yonder' from the 'Afro-American Suite' by the black American composer Undine Smith Moore.
Charles Dobson