“That was a concert and a half” – remarked a regular patron as he left the Royal Pump Rooms on Friday night after a memorable performance by the Royal String Quartet.

Coming at the end of an 11-concert UK tour, the Warsaw based quartet were on top form in front of a full house. There is real momentum to Leamington Music’s Winter Concert series, due in no small part to the leadership now in place.

And it was Isabella Szalaj-Zimak’s leadership which ensured the success of the quartet’s performance. She set the tone and conducted with clever use of her eyes, head movement and the occasional smile.

A programme of great contrasts was chosen – Beethoven’s Quartet in F Op 18 No 1 with its own contrasts of dramatic opening and gentle melodies with many interpretations followed by Shostakovitch’s Quartet No 8 in C minor Op 110 played with enormous feeling.

Haydn’s Quartet in B flat Op 76 No 4 Sunrise was a fitting final piece. The lively allegro followed by deliberate, slow adagio with an animated finale.

A full house deserved an encore and Dvorak’s Streichquartet in F major Op 96 was chosen and played at a furious pace.

The reputation of the Royal String Quartet is growing rapidly – a quartet to follow over the next decade.

Clive Peacock