What better way to spend Easter Monday than in the company of Schubert with the extraordinary Hugh Mather together with Yume Fujise and Jamal Aliyev at St Mary`s.

Some wonderfully relaxed music making this time with our host Hugh Mather at the helm.

Dr Mather is a retired Consultant Physician who can now dedicate himself so unselfishly to his true passion that is so obviously music .

Having created a haven for all true music lovers in Ealing  with over 1300 concerts organised at St Mary’s and St Barnabas.

With such a dedicated following he is also able to offer not only a platform to some of the most talented young musicians of our time but also a small fee that goes to help towards their struggle to pursue their quest to reach wherever their exceptional talent may lead them.

Dr Mather has never abandoned his own music making and is both a distinguished pianist and organist as we were able to appreciate today.

I have heard him perform with Jamal Aliyev before at St Barnabas .

Jamal has told me of how much he enjoys making music together at St Mary’s away from the limelight of being one of the most sought after cellists of his generation.

Yume Fulise like Jamal is from the Menuhin School and now at only 21 a scholarship student at the Royal College of music and  joined forces for this Bank Holiday afternoon Schubertiade

It was refreshing to see St Mary’s full to the rafters ready to be rewarded by an afternoon of sublime music.

A cup of tea and biscuits at the end were the traditional way to end such a rewarding afternoon whilst the Easter Monday weather was still in wintery mood outside.

Two sublime solo duos to begin .

The Duo in A D.574 beautifully and stylishly played by Yume Fujise.

Followed by Jamal Aliyev with the “Arpeggione” Sonata D 821.

Jamal’s interpretation is well known but today in this friendly family atmosphere one was able to savour the real almost improvised music making that made the whole afternoon so enjoyable.

All beautifully and most professionally played by Hugh Mather a true kappellmeister of times of yore.

I missed Hugh’s usual performance on the bells to call people in from an interval stroll in the graveyard.

Maybe it was because of the blizzard that was waging outside!

After the interval all three together in an intimate and touching performance amongst friends, just as Schubert had undoubtedly intended, of the Trio in B flat D.898.

Mention should be made of the superb page turner who was Hugh’s daughter especially on a visit from Dorset.

His grandchildren were seen not only helping themselves to the biscuits but like their grandfather with his music helping above all others .

I doubt there could have been a better way of spending a rainy Easter Monday than ours en famille with the Mathers