Royal Northern Sinfonia Ensemble, Kendal Town Hall

DECEMBER 2015 had presented - apart from the musical fare on offer to the Kendal Midday Concert Society - some desperately awful experiences to many South Lakelanders. To an extent aware of this, the leader of the Royal Northern Sinfonia Ensemble (in town for the society’s first concert of 2016) in his introductory remarks, hoped that his audience had not suffered too badly; needless to say a not inconsiderable number of people quickly and volubly put him in the picture!

This good-natured exchange heralded a concert that did much to put into a (temporary, perhaps) background last month’s distressing events. The programme’s sole work was Schubert’s Octet D803, a piece of music exuding such beauty, vitality and humour that, whatever the circumstance, would surely not fail to lift the spirits. It is a long work, a piece demanding from the players the endurance of a marathon runner, steadfast concentration throughout, a thorough understanding of its structure and, above all, supreme musicianship in all its spheres. Each of these requirements was met, hook, line and sinker and the performance imprinted many glorious, lasting memories on the mind.

Each of Schubert’s melodic lines has to be played with love, and they were; each of the players was frequently in the spotlight during the hour and each exhibited extraordinary technical dexterity and musicianship. They must be combined sensitively, and they were; the balance throughout was generally impeccable to the extent that Schubert’s simple, clear textures were invariably a joy, not only to hear, but also to play. It was abundantly obvious that all the players were devoted to the music; their body-language was infectious and even when the cellist briefly dropped his bow (how often does that happen!) they could enjoy the situation.

Symbolically, the sun showed its face during the performance, enhancing the backcloth’s Lakeland scene and – importantly – the impact of the music. A portent of happier experiences in 2016, perhaps?

Brian Paynes