VoxCarnyx

St John’s Kirk, Perth

The notion of the “Auld Alliance” between Scotland and France may well persist in the minds of the programmers of classical music concerts more than it does in any other sphere, so it is probably unfair to quibble that a very broad definition of “Scottish” was required to justify the Hebrides Ensemble’s use of it to entitle its debut recital at the Perth Festival.

The three composers representing the home side were Judith Weir (born in Cambridge), Sally Beamish (London) and Lyell Cresswell (Wellington, New Zealand). France, on the other hand, fielded representatives of Le Mans, Paris, Avignon and Biarritz: Jean Francaix, Claude Debussy, Olivier Messiaen and Maurice Ravel.

It was Ravel’s septet for string quartet, flute, clarinet and harp, Introduction and Allegro, that brought together all the players of this edition of cellist William Conway’s chamber group at the end of the programme. Effectively directed from the violin by Irish Chamber Orchestra leader Katherine Hunka, it was as notable for its dynamism and pace as for its melodic riches, and the rich ensemble sound these players produced in St John’s.

The concert began with Weir’s The Bagpiper’s String Trio, also rhythmically engrossing and democratic in its use of the instruments, although it began life as a showpiece for the range of a clarinet. The playful use of Scottish country dance rhythms and evocation of the sea made it an accessible way in to a varied evening where the pieces shared interesting inspirations.

Yann Ghiro’s clarinet featured immediately afterwards, in the opening movement of Francaix’s quintet, its deliciously French way with melody prefiguring the Ravel later. In the second half, Ghiro returned to the stage alone for the Abime des oiseaux movement of Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, its use of birdsong nicely following Between Earth and Sea by Sally Beamish, where that is heard from Katherine Bryan’s flute, teamed with the rich-toned viola of Jessica Beeston and Sharron Griffiths’ harp.

Debussy’s Danse sacrée et danse profane was commissioned as a showpiece for harp, but it has equally rich ensemble writing for the string quartet, in what was the second of the French sequence leading to that Ravel finish.

Those two quintets bracketed a real rarity, Cresswell’s Variations on a Theme by Charles Ives with Conway and Bryan. The dozen treatments of Ives’ setting of Songs My Mother Taught Me, ranging from thirty seconds to less than two minutes, are fascinating explorations of the textural possibilities of the combination of flute and cello. With the RSNO’s first flute on stage, its was easy to hear why the founder of the ensemble was eager to bring the piece back in front of an audience.

Keith Bruce

Picture: Lyell Cresswell