London Mozart Players' Chamber Ensemble @ Swaffham Assembly Rooms

London Mozart Players' Chamber Ensemble @ Swaffham Assembly Rooms

By MICHAEL DRAKE

Pursuing the policy of taking the arts to small communi-ties, one of Wingfield Arts' “Orchestra in Associations” chamber groups was well received at the end of a popular programme for clarinet and strings.

The colourful and cohesive musicianship was first displayed in Mozart's Divertimento in D, in which the interplay between the two violins, viola and cello in the opening allegro and the sheer joy of the final presto were marked features.

The quartet was joined by clarinettist Angela Malsbury for Weber's Quintet in B flat in which she immediately made a mark with singing joviality alternating with romanticism.

This was then contrasted with sustained phrasing in a Fantasia showing a darker side of the work.

Finally, in Mozart's Clarinet Quintet in A major, written when the composer was in desperate straits, it was the sublime air in the slow movement, from which even the hall's rather dull acoustic could detract nothing, which was its centre pin.

The finale was one in which its variations were always of interest whether from strings and clarinet together or just the former.

The truly artistic evening was one of a quartet of concerts which continued at Wymondham Abbey and Lavenham.