The top quality music continued with this performance by three very experienced chamber musicians.

They began with a rather odd work, but even odd remains beautiful when the man responsible was Schubert whose String Trio in B flat Major, D. 471 consists of just an Allegro and an Andante sostenuto. The former is a typical example of a Classical sonata-allegro form with all the usual trappings that determine and qualify said form. Nobody knows why Schubert left a truncated work with a few dozen bars of an Andante sostenuto. This was performed leaving off in a subtle indeterminate manner.

Dvořák’s Miniatures Op.75a, is an arrangement of an earlier work of his originally for two violins and viola. It is a delightful work in four movements. Full of significant interaction within the trio beginning with a gorgeously melodious Cavatina. A sprightly Capriccio followed while the third movement, a Romanza flowed beautifully leading quickly to a lovely reflective Elegy.

The concert ended with Beethoven’s String Trio n.3 in G Major, Op.9, n.1, which dates to 1797-8. The form had been among the earliest of his compositions and after Op.9 he never returned to it.

Its four movements follow a pattern found in many of his works. A slow Adagio leads to a joyful Allegro con brio. The slow movement is an Adagio ma non tanto e cantabile and thus did the Trio sing. The Scherzo was very assertive with two very contrasting trios. The work concluded with a robust Presto.

The audience reacted with warm acclaim and Pro Arte Prague conceded an encore which was the Cavatina from the previously performed Miniatures by Dvořák.

Albert George Storace.