Winchelsea Church warmly welcomed the return of the Webb Family Trio to play a concert last Saturday evening, August 5. Winchelsea is gaining a reputation for encouraging young musicians and the boys fit this entirely.
Jonathan (piano), together with sons Emmanuel, 16 (violin) and Gabriel, 12 (cello), played music by Mozart, Boccherini, Grieg and Clara Schumann. The boys played with such maturity and skill, and one wonders how such young men have firstly the ability, and secondly what is obviously an innate sense of phrasing and musical line. They were truly superb and musicians to be watched as they develop.
Jonathan is a professional conductor, currently Musical Director of the Camerata Strumentale Citta di Prato in Italy and Principal Guest Conductor of the Real Filharmonica de Galicia in Santiago in Spain.
The Mozart danced elegantly through three movements and then it was Gabriel’s chance to play the Boccherini Sonata in A major. This is usually set as a test piece for post-graduate students in their final recital. Remember that he is 12! It was eye-wateringly beautiful.
After the interval, Emmanuel played a lovely sonata by Grieg. The confidence and dexterity were a joy to behold – and hear.
The concert concluded with a trio by Clara Schumann, arguably her finest composition. The complexity of the music, the fine interweaving of parts and the sheer energy required to deliver such a stunning performance left the large audience overwhelmed with admiration.
And so we were granted an encore – a duet for violin and cello by Robert Schumann, quietly accompanied by the piano.,
They have promised to return and we shall hugely look forward to that
Photo: courtesy of Jonathan Webb