In the presence of the Mayor and Mayoress of Waterford and the Austrian ambassador and his wife, the Auner Family Trio, the world renowned Vienna Mozart Piano Trio performed a delightful concert at Christ Church Cathedral.
Waterford Music was fortunate to have this venue available as their usual large room venue was closed due to a public service union dispute. I still find it hard to understand why this excellent venue was axed by the Arts Council for funding. Lynn Cahill and Fionnuala Brennan before her have built an audience for coffee concerts and special events and now their good work is to be ignored, which could mean the end of such events later this year.
Without any preamble the trio launched into pleasant Haydn piano trio in F sharp that was a bit too bland for my taste. The Clara Schuman piano trio in G minor was a much more beautiful experience with fine piano passing a sad violin tone that the cello deepened. The piano work was a beautiful blend of emotions in the Allegro and a fine dance Scherzo, showed the exquisite rapport of this very talented family.
After the interval the Brahms trio in C allowed for virtuoso work, especially the violin passages of Daniel Auner, the twenty-three year old son if Irina (piano) and Diethard (cello).
The music exited in waves, filling the space with almost multiple sounds. The cello work in the Andante was beautiful and a quick Scherzo Presto was zippy and buzzy with the piano rolling out short puffs of sound. The Allegro Giocoso finale was sparkling and much appreciated.
A Haydn lullaby was an apt encore for a beautiful evening.
