Superb concert from Waterford-Music
The Sinéad Farrell Trio
Waterford-Music continued their spring concert season with a very special concert from a trio of talented players that delighted the Large Room on a bitterly cold night.
Dublin born flautist, Sinéad Farrell, who heads up this trio, combines a busy career as an orchestral musician, teacher, soloist and chamber musician.
In 2008, Sinéad was appointed principal piccolo/sub-principal flute at the National Symphony Orchestra and has also performed with many leading orchestras in her very busy career.
Internationally known and award-winning pianist, Fiachra Garvey, has been wowing audiences all over Europe and has a number of recordings to his credit.
Fiachra has been playing the piano since the age of five and spends his time in London as a professional pianist, although he loves to work on the family farm in Wicklow.
He’s also the founder and artistic director of the West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival.
Cellist, Katie Tertell, is a Virginian who has performed all over Europe with symphony and chamber orchestras.
Katie is the Artistic Director and founder of the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival, based in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
She is a core member of Musici Ireland, a creative and innovative production house composed of a core group of dedicated musicians who collaborate with multidisciplinary artists on original and socially aware projects that are performed internationally.
There’s a really appealing programme for tonight’s concert.
Bach’s Sonata for flute and basso continuo is a musical delight but a technical challenge.
The sonata was written after a visit to the court of Frederick the Great, who was a fine flautist himself. Clever move from Johann.
The opening Adagio even contained many expressive and elaborate baroque ornaments including the king's favourite of decorated thirds – intermediate notes added to a falling third to create a sighing effect.
There’s a lively dance in the Allegro and some smashing flute work in the Siciliano section before a very busy and demanding Allegro closes it out.
Martinu’s Trio for flute, cello and piano was composed over five days and is full of lightness and fun.
A dancing tune full of flute trills and full of energy and high rhythm, accompanied by piano and cello, opens the piece.
A somewhat darker mood emerges from piano with engaging solos on flute and cello before the trio finishes out full of energy and fun.
French flautist and composer Philippe Gaubert’s (1879-1941) ‘Three Watercolours’ for flute, cello and piano brings thoughts of a pastoral landscape full of tone, colour and the sounds of nature.
A final Sérénade section, with its Basque flavour (where Gaubert had a summer home) is full of summer sunshine and dancing castanets.
It’s great to see a lady composer on the programme.
French composer/pianist Louise Farrenc (1804-1875) has a Trio here that is just tickitee boo for blending wind, string and keyboard textures.
Louise was a child prodigy composer and pianist. Despite the traditional bias against women in music, she later became Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatory, a position she held for thirty years and one which was among the most prestigious in Europe.
No woman in the 19th century held a comparable post.
Her Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano allows show off moments of virtuosity on all three instruments that is a real crowd-pleaser with tonight’s audience.
Running passages from flute and piano and a long flowing melody from cello are a highlight in the Scherzo before a dazzling Presto closes the Trio out with calls for an encore.
‘My Lagan Love’ is everyone’s favourite and allows us to forgive the harsh March weather as we head for the carparks.
