Busch Trio and CMSFW bring spirit and power to Beethoven and Franck

The Busch Trio returned on Saturday for its third concert under the aegis of the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Violinist Mathieu van Bellen, along with brothers Omri Epstein on piano and Ori Epstein on cello, presented spirited readings from among Beethoven’s earliest and latest piano trios. Other notable Fort Worth musicians then joined them for César Franck’s Piano Quintet in F Minor.
The Allegretto in B-flat Major (WoO 39) is the last of Beethoven’s works for piano trio, a light piece composed in a single movement. The tender opening was transparent and mild, revealing the work’s overall accessibility. All three players displayed exemplary sensitivity to dynamics as well as to the composer’s motivic interplay.
As usual with his first published foray into any genre, the Piano Trio in E-flat Major (Op. 1, no. 1) bears Beethoven’s personal stamp. We hear the recognizable vigor, drama, optimism, and startling changes in dynamics that are the composer’s signature. Ensemble playing was taut in the first movement, with the group seemingly moving as one. As with the first piece on the program, they played with refined balance. Violin and cello alternated between velvety and punchy sounds, responding to shifts in the music. Omri’s liquid piano playing sparkled, while van Bellen played with restraint, his supple violin sound never over the top.
A silky piano solo introduced the second movement (Adagio cantabile), followed by Ori’s cello alternating between robust and plaintive tones, his voice melancholy. The group brought a bright energy to the Scherzo, which saw all three players dig into slightly edgier articulations. By contrast, during the trio section the strings played with warmer, broader tones while the piano was crisp. The presto finale featured virtuosic rapid passages in the violin and piano parts, especially the dramatic development section. Here the ensemble further demonstrated their wide, flexible range of expressive dynamics.
After intermission the Busch Trio was joined by violinist and CMSFW artistic director Gary Levinson and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra principal violist D.J. Cheek for a suave rendering of Franck’s Piano Quintet in F Minor. For this three-movement work the group shifted appropriately from classical period playing style to mid-romantic, a laudable and compelling demonstration of the performers’ versatility. The slow introduction began with a lush opening played by all four string players, followed by Omri’s sleek arpeggios on piano. The strings juxtaposed powerful unisons against the piano’s warm, ringing background and expressive interpolations.
Sensitive coordination among all the players led to an extraordinary cohesiveness in the piece. The two additional musicians superbly matched the others in articulation, style, and intonation such that they could have been mistaken for members of the ensemble. Cheek’s solo viola passages were clear and penetrating but never over-articulated. With a vibrancy seemingly reserved for the Franck, van Bellen led the performance well. Levinson’s playing was fluid and sweet-toned across his instrument.
For the virtuosic piano part, Omri Epstein played challenging passages with strength and finesse, making his execution appear effortless. Van Bellen’s singing tone rose effectively above the ensemble when necessary, including the sentimentally sweet violin solo in the slow second movement. Undulating strings in the finale were splendidly coordinated, along with assured solo passages for each. Clear, sensitive playing from all performers made for a remarkably potent rendition of a jewel of the nineteenth-century chamber repertoire.
The Marmen Quartet plays string quartets by Haydn, Bartók, and Debussy 2 p.m. March 15. cmsfw.org