Schubert at St Olave's

Schubert Concert to celebrate Tom Butler's 75th birthday

Schubert Songs including Die Forelle
JONATHAN McGOVERN baritone with JULIUS DRAKE piano

Trout Quintet
SARAH DOWN piano FENELLA HUMPHREYS violin REBECCA JONES viola JESSICA BURROUGHS cello JOSIE ELLIS double bass

17th February 2011, 12.30 pm at St Olave’s Church, Hart Street, London EC3

Tom Butler runs a music programme at this beautiful City church (close to the Tower of London) which has achieved plaudits and an extensive following. We have reviewed events there several times, e.g. the UK debut of the important pianist/fortepianist Li-Chun Su, and an excellent Britten Recital Series.

St Olave's supporters turned out in strength for this special event, filling every pew and corner of the church, with extra seating having to be brought in.

They were rewarded by exceptional Schubert performances. Jonathan McGovern put his all into persuasive accounts of a group of Lieder favourites, gripping the audience with their diverse moods, and that was enhanced by Jonathan being partnered by the peerless Julius Drake, who is regularly to be heard at Temple Song and in Wigmore Hall.

The account of the Trout Quintet by a fine group of free-lancers, specially recruited for the occasion by cellist Jessica Burroughs, provided the large audience with a quite exceptional experience of this much loved masterwork.

They played together with total unanimity, the strings based upon the unusually sonorous and expressive playing of international bassist Josie Ellis.

Before The Trout there had been a surprise item, newly composed for Tom Butler*, its theme only gradually becoming identifiable as it unfolded, which was a huge success - in the words of the dedicatee "witty, subtle and great fun"; it was indeed far superior to the majority of such occasional pieces, a familiar "tune" hinted at but only revealed fully towards the end.

Important to the success of this unforgettable occasion were the wonderful ambience and acoustics of St Olave's, and the special qualities of their Bösendorfer, which we've noted before.

For future concerts at St Olave's see http://www.sanctuaryinthecity.net/concerts.

Peter Grahame Woolf

*Enjoy surprise item for Tom Butler