Surprises at final concert of Oxford Chamber Music Festival
Composer Thomas Adès made a surprise appearance at this concert. His Three Berceuses for viola and piano was written for his operatic version of Buñuel's film The Exterminating Angel.
It created a mysterious, eerie atmosphere suitable for this surrealist art.
The evening was dominated by a rare performance of Vaughan Williams' Piano Quintet in C minor. This powerful, stormy, passionate work was written in 1905 and is a far cry from the serenity of Vaughan Williams' best known works (The Lark Ascending, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis etc).
Priya Mitchell (violin) led the ensemble with vigour and deep conviction.
it was a pity that we only heard one movement of Delius's exquisite violin sonata but I hope to hear Priya perform all of it on another occasion.
The audience clearly loved the festival and the mood was elated.