“Intimate Mozart” is the name of the current Australian Chamber Orchestra tour which features South African-born, Australian-raised keyboard player, Kristian Bezuidenhout and a string quartet comprising ACO regulars, Richard Tognetti, Helena Rathbone and Timo-Veikko “Tipi” Valve together with guest violist, Florian Peelman. The programme is somewhat surprising, for while there is intimacy and Mozart – and indeed intimate Mozart – most of the music is by Schumann. Now, I have nothing at all against Schumann, but to sandwich a Mozart Piano Concerto between Schumann’s last String Quartet and his gargantuan Piano Quintet in E Flat is, to say the least, a study in contrasts.

^{Richard Tognetti, Helena Rathbone, Kristian Bezuidenhout, Florian Peelman and Timo-Veikko Valve. Photos © Zan Wimberley}

Schumann’s last String Quartet (in A Major, Op. 41, No 3) is itself full of contrasts, beginning with a delicate, halting introduction, beautifully characterised by Tognetti, that gives way to a lyrical first movement in which Valve’s cello played a memorable role. The offbeat rhythmic writing in both the first and second movements was adroitly handled, underlining the finely honed sense of ensemble that prevailed throughout the work. In the slow third movement...