A sell-out recital that delivers some fearless and impeccably balanced playing.

Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House
December 2, 2014

Chamber music was traditionally conceived to be heard in small, intimate spaces, but in the intervening centuries we have been spolied by hearing live performances of chamber music in the generously flattering acoustic of the concert hall.

The Utzon Room at the Sydney Opera House, despite its beautiful aquatic backdrop, is a rather arid and unforgiving space acoustically, and while there is a thrill in being so close to the performers that you can almost smell the rosin, it can expose any inconsistency in tone and balance. This was the challenge being tackled by the Australia Piano Quartet last night at their sell-out recital. This is a relatively young ensemble, formed just three years ago, but in that time they have quickly forged a reputation as one of the country’s most exciting and talented chamber groups.

The first piece offered by the quartet at this latest performance in their 2014 Utzon Room series, was Mozart’s Piano Quartet No 1 in G minor – an apt selection as this piece represents the first major work in the canon of...