TOUCHWOOD, a piano quartet comprising Fiona McCapra, violin; Judith Busbridge, viola; Adrian Bradbury, cello, and Andrew West, piano, plus Chris West, double bass, presented a delightful Schubertiade at The Courtyard last Thursday that was enthusiastically applauded by a capacity audience.

These fine musicians entranced their listeners with their skill and obvious love of Schubert's music. Chamber music has been described as "a conversation between friends" and on this occasion the "friendship" included the public as well as the performers.

The concert opened with the String Trio in B flat, D471. Schubert left several works unfinished and only one movement of this trio was completed by the 19 year-old composer, but it does demonstrate the fact that he was among those of his contemporaries who linked the contrasting styles of the Classical and Romantic periods.

The Piano Sonata in B flat, D960, the last of three from 1828, was completed that September and Schubert died two months later.

The first movement is pensive, with unexpected modulations and silences; the second is ecstatic; the third, bright and cheerful, and the fourth contains several vigorous passages.

Andrew West's outstanding performance of this melodic work was such that, in spite of its length, one's attention never wandered.

The popular Piano Quintet in A major, D667 - The Trout - was played with panache and the instruments blended perfectly. A much larger fish than the earlier Die Forelle in Schubert's lied, the quintet provides its own innumerable delights.

Hilary Carnson