The first rarity was by Joseph Suk, his opus one. It is no student effort but a fully fledged composition that the players presented with absolute conviction. The busy piano part is almost always subsidiary and Ben Frith’s playing of it was tireless. Throughout the concert, with the piano lid fully open he never drowned out his colleagues. Richard Jenkinson’s cello solo in the central slow movement was wonderfully expressive and the brilliant finale was given a full-blooded performance.

The cellist spoke to us engagingly about the Martinů quartet. In this work the pianist has a much more up-front role which he made the most of, and the composer’s very individual mixture of tension and lyricism was well caught by all the players. The opening of the slow movement is a long sad passage for just the strings that could present many problems of intonation, but they were effortlessly surmounted by violinist Robert Heard and his colleagues. The changing moods of the finale were strongly projected with fearless attack in the more tense central section before the return of the happy syncopations so typical of this composer. Judging by its reception, this performance gave many audience members a new composer friend.

The Dvorak Piano Quartet is a much more familiar item and this most musically generous work was played with total understanding of its Slavonic nature. Louise Williams seized her many opportunities in the viola part with relish. No more need be said, it was a vivid and loving performance of a great piece. Thank you all.

G.K.