Michael Collins/Brodsky Quartet: Mozart and Brahms, Kings Place

With the first buds of March come the Brodsky Quartet and Michael Collins, performing the clarinet quintets of Mozart and Brahms - two chamber masterpieces. We have oft proclaimed the brilliance of the Brodsky Quartet here at Culture Whisper, but for this performance we expect to see that brilliance appear in a different form, as they play second fiddle (figuratively speaking) to virtuoso clarinetist Michael Collins. The quartet have been frequently praised for their sensitivity, and we look forward to seeing them quietly driving the muted second movement of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet in A, and supplementing the beautiful clarinet melody during the opening of Brahms' Clarinet Quintet in B minor.

Michael Collins will be a joy to see. The level of his talent means that he is equally at home in orchestral and chamber contexts, but we look forward to seeing him take advantage of the expressive potential afforded him by the dominant role of the clarinet in both quintets. He will have a chance to demonstrate his supreme versatility as a player during the second movement of the Brahms in particular: with its warm contemplative opening melody and virtuosic runs, this movement demands expressiveness and technical precision in equal measure.

Both works are substantial enough to require an entire half of the programme each, so experiencing this performance will be much like eating two very satisfying roast dinners in a row - a far cry from the bitty, sushi-like programming characteristic of many chamber concerts. It is also notable that Brahms’s quintet wears the influence of Mozart’s very much on its sleeve - listen out for similarities between the opening textures and final movements of each. Tickets for such established repertoire will disappear quickly, so do get booking as soon as you can.