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| Beethoven | – | String Quintet in C, Op. 29 |
| Bruckner | – | String Quintet in F major (slow movement) |
| Britten | – | Phantasy |
| Mendelssohn | – | String Quintet in A, Op. 18 |
Pentatonic is a string quintet (two violins, two violas and cello) made up of friends who have known each other and worked together for many years. The group came into existence in 2005 and since then it has performed regularly around Britain. The players especially enjoy playing in beautiful churches and often give concerts to help raise money to maintain these buildings.
The name comes from the five note scale which is the basis of much folk music from all around the world, including many Celtic tunes such as “Over the Sea to Skye”. This is particularly appropriate as most of the members of the group have strong Celtic connections!
Andrew Watkinson is from Glasgow. He has been the first violin of the Endellion Quartet for 32 years and has performed over 2500 concerts with them all over the world. They have recently completed a 10 CD recording of all Beethoven’s works for string quartet and quintet for Warner Classics. He also directs orchestras in this country and abroad and was for many years leader/director of the City of London Sinfonia.
Jane Carwardine studied the violin at Wells Cathedral School and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She works with many London chamber orchestras and is principal second violin of the Guildhall Strings and the City of London Sinfonia. She played with Shuna in the Kandinsky Quartet and has been the featured soloist with the Feinstein Ensemble in the Queeen Elizabeth Hall and St Martin in the Fields.
Sophie Renshaw studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School and obtained a BMus degree from the University of Southern California. Between 1987 and 1991 she was violist in the Orford String Quartet, in residence at the University of Toronto, with whom she toured widely and made several CD recordings. She held the Principal viola position in the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for 8 years and has played frequently with ensembles as diverse as Ensemble Modern and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
Takane Funatsu was born in Japan and started playing the violin at the age of four. Whilst studying at the Toho College in Japan, she won an international violin competition in Spain. She came to England in 1991 to study with David Takeno at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. From 1997 to 2000 she was a principal player in the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Takane was co-leader of the Glyndebourne Touring Opera orchestra from 2005-10.
Shuna Wilson is from Edinburgh. She was the cellist of the Kandinsky Quartet for several years and made guest appearances with the Endellion and Petersen quartets. She is now the cellist of the Galini piano trio. As an orchestral player she was principal cello of the City of London Sinfonia and London Bach orchestras for many years where she particularly enjoyed playing continuo. She now leads a more varied life, including working as a Healer in a Hospital, which seems to suit her well!
The evening Artistes were welcomed by Chairman, David Eagles with a birthday wish to the leading violinist Andrew Watkinson, who was to show his skills throughout the music chosen for the programme. The grand and exciting Beethoven String Quintet gave the fusion of sound in the first movement typical of his larger works. Each instrument was played with a clarity which belied the unity of the music. The second movement in contrast was gentle and eloquent. The Scherzo and Presto movements were played with energy and technical expertise to test the instrumentalists, with 'chat' and 'syncopation' between the sections, making the music humorous and easy to enjoy to the listener. It was a delight to see the close interaction between the players.
The Bruckner slow movement from the String Quintet in F, introduced by the violinist Jane Carwardine, was said to be a 'gem' of a piece. And so it was, with beautiful melodic phrases being repeated and varied in the different instruments, and the culmination making a rich sound unusual from a small group of players. It is a shame that Bruckner did not write more chamber music; this piece was very much enjoyed by the audience, even those who may not necessarily choose to listen to Bruckner as a composer.
After the interval, the Britten Phantasy Quintet was introduced by Takane Funatsu as a typical early English composer's idea of English weather and seas! Benjamin Britten was not an early composer of course, but wrote this work at 19yrs old, as a one movement work for a competition, which he won. The Phantasy of the Renaissance period was typically written for string viols; the piece mimicked the instruments and was enjoyable to listen to even though it was 'free in form and imagination'; the waves could be heard through the lovely tone of the violas throughout.
The evening was complete with the Mendelssohn Quintet in A. A light, tuneful and melodic start to the quintet was in complete contrast to the previous piece, although the second movement proved a little more mournful, reflecting the loss of one of his closest friends during the period this music was written. As in the Beethoven, the Scherzo and Finale were energetic and a test of technical masterships of the instruments. The final movement gave the first violinist the chance to shine again, taking the lead.
All the instrumentalists were able to show their skills throughout the well chosen programme which led to a relaxing and enjoyable evening. KP
