With works spanning nearly 200 years, Katherine Spencer, clarinet, and Sam Haywood, piano, enthused their audience in St John’s Kirk, Perth in their Perth Chamber Music concert. Fantasie is also the German for ‘imagination’ and the playing of Schumann’s Fantasy Pieces Op.73 had both the lightest and the deepest touch. The first was, indeed, ‘sweet and with expression’. The second brought out the fairytale and humour. The third was more outgoing, towards heroic, with a Romantic, pensive centre.

Katherine Spencer’s aim was ‘Youth, nostalgia and humanity’ in Brahms’Clarinet Sonata No.2: its first movement was an openhearted song of mountains and lakes – Brahms’ 0n holiday. Sam Haywood was magnificent in the at times craggy piano part. Both managed smooth legato playing sensitively. The second was tempestuous at first, a rolling centre and a fine gentle transformed end. With the Variations final movement were were back almost yodelling with the theme: first, breaking it up, then perkier, with enjoyment, next almost cheeky, then with starry piano, sustained. Finally, with a brilliant piano start, nostalgic retrospection and a joyful end.

Sam Haywood began the second half with Geraldine Thomson Mucha’s short Tempo di Mazurka, with firm mazurka rhythm, there were rhythmic Scotch snaps and the hint of a Scottish folksong. Magically sounding from offstage, MacMillan’s clarinet solo From Galloway made its effect… Strongly thrust aside by the chords opening a dramatic, forceful Chopin: Scherzo No.1, Op.20. Equally finely done was its lullaby, Polish Christmas Song ‘Sleep, little Jesus’.

Poulenc’s Clarinet Sonata ended the printed programme. Headed ‘tristamente’ (sadly) it started with japes before a calm, sustained, beautiful Poulenc tune. Katherine played the start of the Romanza into the piano, later the gentle liquid line rising to almost keening, returned to pensively sad, before the final cry. Poulenc the street urchin began the Allegro con fuoco (with fire!, indeed), again with a Poulenc tune, and ending in irrepressible high spirits.

“We think you’ve clapped enough for three encores,” said Katherine: first Acker Bilk’s Stranger on the Shore; Chopin’s ‘Minute’ Waltz, with perfect poise and dynamics – fast but not giddy. Finally a much appreciated, exciting arrangement from the pair of Gershwin’s Prelude No.3.

Ian Stuart Hunter