The Fibonacci Sequence

String quintets were the order of the day at Cockermouth Music Society’s September concert which began the new season of classical music. The Fibonacci Sequence is a group of brilliant musicians who have appeared many times in Cumbria as string, wind or mixed ensembles covering a broad repertoire. This time it was a string quintet whose performance proved to be of an impressively high standard. Jack Liebeck and Yuri Zhislin, (violins) Yuko Inoue (viola), Benjamin Hughes and Alexei Sarkissov (cellos) are all top class players who united for a stunning display of wonderful musicianship. Boccherini’s String Quintet in E, famous for its beautiful minuet, was led by Yuri Zhislin with a sure and masterful touch and the music really shone in a way of which the composer would have been proud. Dvorak’s Four Romantic Pieces for violins and viola, led by Jack Liebeck, was charming, with the violist’s sound clearly contributing much to the ensemble. But it was Schubert’s famous String Quintet in C which was the highlight of the evening. When you have a combination of outstanding players – led by a great violinist like Jack Liebeck, (and more than ably assisted by the other artists) – and wonderful music the effect is all one can hope for – here was an interpretation of a piece of music which made one feel it doesn’t come much better than this.