Gould Piano Trio Makes a Spirited Debut in L.A.

The Gould Piano Trio has been a steadily brightening star of the U.K. chamber music scene since its inception in 1987. Two years ago, the ensemble made its Carnegie Hall debut, and Friday it finally reached Los Angeles for its local debut at the Doheny Mansion, presented by the Da Camera Society.

This is a strong group, not immaculate but spirited and direct. Pianist Benjamin Frith joined violinist Lucy Gould and cellist Martin Storey just two years ago, but ensemble values are high here and expressive goals convincingly met.

Their account of Schubert’s E-flat Trio was structurally well-lit and emotionally elegant, heartfelt without indulgence. Their sound was big and bright, their balances assured, and they kept the iterations of the sprawling finale moving--indeed, the return of the haunted Andante march was almost too well-integrated for maximum dramatic impact.

There was not much really soft playing in the Schubert, but tautly hushed moments abounded in Ravel’s Trio. This is music well-matched with the Pompeian Room in opulence and style, and the Gould Piano Trio delivered it with generous power and rich detail.

The group opened with the Haydn Trio in C, Hob. XV:21, an amiable, characteristically quirky piano showpiece brilliantly played by Frith, with casual contributions from the almost optional strings.