THIS superbly-played recital sent a clear message to those involved in the future provision of chamber music in the city.

Since the repertoire for this particular instrumental combination is limited, effective programming needed to be more creative than the straightforward diet of three or so works for string quartet, often played by ensembles doing the same thing day in day out.

In fact Arisa Fujita, Richard Bayliss and Sam Haywood have played these works only a couple of times together, and this immediately gave their performance such a welcome freshness and spontaneity.

Opening with Beethoven's Horn Sonata, Richard combined taut articulation and rich tone with effective dynamic control. Arisa's impassioned playing in the composer's C minor Violin Sonata Op 30 No 2 caught every aspect of the writing, as did her equally impressive reading of Brahms's C minor Scherzo, which provided the perfect taster for the evening's main work, Brahms's Horn Trio.

If this was one of the evening's undoubted highlights, then the other just had to be the really outstanding contribution from the piano. Sam's obvious enthusiasm for the music was totally infectious, and certainly inspired his fellow-players to match this every ounce of the way.

So here was a recital with just two very mainstream composers, an interesting instrumental combination and a familiar name or two – the result, a packed audience clamouring for more.