I never knew that I had something in common with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but you live and learn. We are/were both seemingly enthusiastic exponents of the sport of bowling – as you can see from the feature image. By the way, that is me, not Mozart! How do I know this, well, the first piece in the concert was called Kegelstatt Trio, which means ‘a place where skittles are played’.
The work was introduced by Anne Trygstad, who also played viola, who told us that the title, Kegelstatt Trio, K498, was only applied to this piece in 1862, 71 years after Mozart’s death, but in 1786 he had scribbled the phrase on another manuscript for trumpet. Whatever, like most of this composer’s works it is very accessible and bowls along nicely – sorry.
Anne Trygstad, viola, Annette Saunders, piano and Andrew Mason, clarinet. The page turner is Byron Parish who played violin in the other two pieces. Who says men can’t multitask!
The first movement is an Andante beginning with a phrase which is then picked up by the other instruments; clarinet, played by Andrew Mason, and piano, Annette Saunders, who do their thing. This was one of the first classical works to include clarinet as it was a relatively new invention. The second movement is a melodic Menuetto, very easy to listen to, and the whole thing comes to a joyous conclusion with the Rondeaux.
The second piece, Serenade for clarinet, violin and cello, Op. 93, was by a much more modern composer, Hans Gál, who was an Austrian Jew who had fled to Britain in 1938 with a view to going to USA. Whilst in this country he met Donald Tovey, a scholar and musician, who introduced him to Edinburgh where he abandoned his Plan A in order to stay there.
This composition has been described, by Johannes Jansen – neither do I – as being ‘an elegant, melodious work that never broaches the limit of tonality.’ Who am I to disagree? He fails to mention Herr Gál’s bowling average or his highest score, just his musical score.
There are four movements here; Cantabile. Moderato; Burletta. Vivace ma non troppo; Intermezzo. Andantino and Giocoso and Allegro molto moderato, adding a variation of tempo and atmosphere which again was a very pleasant listen.
Byron Parish, violin, Andrew Mason, clarinet and Lydia Dobson, cello.
It was back to Mozart for the final item on the agenda, Flute Quartet in D, K285 for flute, violin, viola and cello. It comprised three movements, Allegro, Adagio and Rondeau. This involved a lot of pizzicato in the second mournful movement, along with the flute but the mood was lifted by the big finish of ‘sunny high spirits’, just what was needed as the rain had been hammering against the windows for most of the presentation. It obviously had an effect as the clouds parted to keep us dry on our way home.
Luke O’Toole, flute, Byron Parish, violin, Anne Trystad, viola and Lydia Dobson, cello
All in all, this was a very pleasant way to spend an hour listening to the first in the new season’s lunchtime concerts at Dewsbury Town Hall. I am afraid that I have no reference points to pass on, such as adverts or film themes, as I was unfamiliar with any of the music. It was, as always, played brilliantly by members of the Orchestra of Opera North, who will be performing The Magic Flute, again by Mozart, in the first full opera of the Autumn/Winter season at the newly refurbished Leeds Grand Theatre.
There are no video links on this article because, if you want to see the concert for yourself, it is being performed at Howard Assembly Room, Leeds, on Sunday, 15th September, 2024 at 2.15pm so why not pop along for an hour of great music played by amazing musicians.
For more details and to book, please go to https://www.operanorth.co.uk/whats-on/distilled-contrasts-mozart-bartok/
To see what Opera North have got in the pipeline, including the new season of full operas, it is https://www.operanorth.co.uk/
For more about the Kirklees Concert Season click on https://www.operanorth.co.uk/news/location/huddersfield-dewsbury/
Finally, if you want to know how good that 14 year-old whippersnapper in the feature photograph was, here is some proof. I didn’t win but collected a trophy and a portable tape recorder. PepsiCola, who sponsored the event, put my parents and me up at the Ariel Hotel, and we had breakfast on the next table to the young Rolling Stones, who, coincidentally, were celebrating their first No.1 with a song about my bowling career, It’s All Over Now.
Photographs by Stan Graham
Tyke It To The Limit 