Review: North York Moors Chamber Music Festival *****

At St Nicholas' Church, Guisborough

Having had the pleasure of comparing all of the available recordings of Schoenberg's Verklarte Nacht helped to place in perspective this remarkable performance from the Festival Ensemble.

It formed part of a unique fortnight when we have the unusual sight of some of our finest younger generation soloists coming together in churches on the North York Moors to play as much for their own pleasure as for ours.

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This spontaneously communicative account of a story of erotic passion was expressed in such redolent colours, wide dynamics, subtle shifts of tempo, and technically immaculate playing that would be a rare experience even in the world's great concert venues.

The ensemble was led by the violinist, Jack Liebeck, who was unstinting in the sheer power required, and was matched by the soaring eloquence of cellist, Guy Johnston.

Liebeck, Victoria Sayles, Simon Browne and Jamie Walton had already delighted with a highly detailed reading of Debussy's String Quartet. It was unhurried, with moments of gorgeous hushed playing to offset the explosive pizzicato of the second movement.

Add the viola of Alexander Zemstov to augment the quartet for a neat and tidy reading of Mozart's Fourth String Quintet, and you had a very special concert.