Tim Lowe: York Chamber Music Festival director and cellist
THE closing concert of the York Chamber Music Festival 2026 programme by festival artists Charlotte Scott and Tim Crawford, violin, Simone van der Giessen and Lilli Maijala, viola, and Tim Lowe, cello, opened with a rare outing for Beethoven’s impressive String Quintet in C Major, Op 29.
Although there was much to admire, the ensemble seemed out of sorts. To be sure, the extra viola gave the middle register added warmth and the tempo was well judged, but they didn’t seem to be quite in the zone.
This was occasionally apparent in the technically demanding outer reaches of Beethoven’s writing, where intonation was less secure, particularly in the first and third movements. The players took a short tuning break after the opening Allegro moderato, and the Adagio molto espressivo which followed was much more assured.
Here, the playing had warmth, and indeed, depth. The phrasing was clean and the two violas gave the timbre a rich, velvety quality. The third-movement Scherzo: Allegro had rhythmic bite and the sudden dynamic contrasts were convincing. I enjoyed the closing Presto.
The players clearly relished the fast passages, the central five-part fugato was clearly articulated, and the call-and-response episode was beautifully played.
Brahms’s String Quintet in F major, Op. 88 was an altogether more rewarding experience. The Allegro non troppo ma con brio was notable for the expressive opening first-violin theme: fine playing by Charlotte Scott, the resonant viola solos by the impressive Lilli Maijala and the energy and clarity of the often dense contrapuntal texture. The ending was just lovely.
Contrapuntal clarity and rhythmic drive were the memorable takeaways of the Allegro energico – Presto final movement. The performers were on fire as they responded to Brahms’s accelerating contrapuntal energy. Thrilling.
However, it was their performance of the central Grave ed appassionato that provided the concert highlight. The movement itself combined and integrated elements of both the slow movement and the scherzo. The opening Grave was very dark, a timbre created by the exploitation of the two violas and cello. It really is a unique sound.
Their delivery of the lighter, dancing Allegretto vivace was spot on: crisp articulation, pizzicato exchanges and even – dare I say it – evidence that Brahms actually had a sense of fun. The return of the weighty Grave was very well judged – the changes of colour very striking.
Despite some performance uncertainties, cellist Tim Lowe not only anchored the playing but also, in doing so, provided a reassuring sense of security. His contribution was vital throughout the programme.
Review by Steve Crowther