21/07/2026
And a fabulous write-up of our final recital this Summer, that featured the clarinet trio AMABILE. A really HUGE thank you to Nick Cousins for writing our review 🙏🤩
Woodside Summer Recitals 2026
Review of Amabile Clarinet Trio
There are few better ways to spend summer afternoons than listening to good music played by top class performers in a comfortable stress- free atmosphere with post-concert refreshment and genial conversation being the order of the day.
So, to visit the Woodside Summer Recital Series which provided five, hour long concerts in the Amersham Free Church throughout the month of June, was an absolute delight. Each concert explored a different aspect of the classical chamber music repertoire and as a whole provided a journey that was not only extraordinarily enjoyable, but educational as well.
The final concert in the series given by the Amabile Clarinet Trio was no exception discovering for the audience some comparatively unknown gems from well four known romantic composers of the nineteenth century, although the first two works were both composed towards the end of their composers’ life in the early twentieth century.
The concert began with Bruch’s Rumanische Melodie (Opus 83). Originally conceived for Clarinet viola and piano, like the other three pieces in the programme, it had been re - arranged for the combination of instruments in this particular trio, in this case, including a cello instead of the viola. The richer deeper timbre of this combination of instruments clearly suited this beautiful melody and it was quite entrancing and enchanting. Bruch is one of those composers that suffers somewhat from having written a couple of exceptionally popular compositions (Violin Concerto & Scottish Fantasy) that tends to undermine the considerable number of other works that, sadly, seldom get an airing. What a joy to hear this neglected work for the first time.
Faure’s chamber music is more widely known and played but listening to this trio in D Minor (Opus 120) was also a first for me, although like Bruch he tends to be thought of solely in terms of one piece, his wonderful Requiem. The excellent and extensive programme notes suggested that a first encounter with this trio would be “different, engaging and stimulating”. It was certainly that - and more. Quite un – Faure like in so many respects with its main themes often meandering into nothingness and the occasional dissonances being not disturbing, but unusual. However, the piano part keeps it altogether and here it was played to perfection such that the three instruments were brought together in a seamless whole and in a perfectly balanced way.
Weber is not really known for his chamber works at all; his operas and clarinet concertos being very much more a part of the German romantic tradition. This work, Shepherd’s Lament (Opus 63) was the oldest of those being presented today and dating from 1818 was therefore composed over a hundred years before the two preceding pieces. This trio was originally conceived as a four - movement piece for flute, cello and piano; here obviously the clarinet replaced the flute in a performance of the third of the four movements. This decision to programme a single movement of a piece not originally written for this combination of instruments exemplified the imagination applied to the selection of music for this concert and the confidence to ‘know’ that this would be much appreciated by those of us fortunate enough to be listening.
The final work I do know, and in truth was the main driver behind attending this particular recital. Clara Schumann’s Trio in G Minor (Opus 17) is a remarkable ‘tour de force’ in so many respects. All composers sometimes write their best works under extreme pressure, and so it was for Clara in producing this masterpiece of the chamber music repertoire. Again, if I may quote the programme notes: “in February 1846 the Schumann’s fourth child was born {of eight in total}, but it was clear that he was sickly and would not live long. In July she suffered a miscarriage. Add to this the fact that Robert’s mental health was in decline, and it is almost miraculous that this was the year that she wrote this remarkable piano trio. One might suppose that through composition she was able to give voice to her intense and anguished emotions”.
Intense and anguished she may have been but this wonderful trio is packed full of lyricism and beautiful melodies that just seem to flow endlessly and in turn from keys, bow and mouthpiece. In exchanging the violin for the clarinet Amabile not only fulfilled their ambition to present four arrangements of original works, but succeeded in giving this piece not so much a new lease of life, but a new approach that, if anything, gave even more character and resonance to the whole, whilst staying true to the overall musicality that exemplifies Clara Schumann’s writing
Amabile are an absolute joy to listen to, whether in their introductions to each piece, their outstanding playing on stage, or in the relaxed and informative conversation afterwards that flowed with the refreshments. Clearly each of the players, Lesley Schatzberger (Clarinet), Nicola Tait Baxter (Cello) and Paul Nicholson (Piano) are excellent and distinguished practitioners in their own right, but as with the very best chamber music groups their real strength is in their union which enables the music to come alive in high class ensemble playing with each instrument in complete accord with the others. There was real generosity evident in the performance, both towards each other but also to us the audience. It was inclusive in the very best sense in that we were utterly engaged with the players throughout. Very unusual and inspiring.
These initiatives to bring chamber music into the heart of the community are wonderful opportunities to hear some of the very best musicians in relaxed and informal settings.
Long may they continue and long may we support them.
Nick Cousins. July 2026
