An appreciative audience enjoyed the second of Octagon Music Society's Sunday afternoon concerts at Watford's splendid concert hall, the Clarendon Muse. The artists were the cellist Tim Lowe and pianist Stephen Guttman who presented an intriguing programme that showed the full range of the cello repertoire, together with the individual strengths of the players. Only in his mid 20s, Tim Lowe has already garnered an enviable array of prizes and awards, including a prestigious Du Pre scholarship and clearly has in front of him a fine future as a soloist.

The varied programme included fireworks in Martinu's Rossini Variations, which allowed Tim Lowe to display the full range of his virtuosity, and Saint-Saens first Cello Sonata, a tour de force for both instrumentalists.

Their well-judged programme included more reflective works in Schubert's Arpeggione sonata and Ernst Bloch's Sketches from Jewish Life where the soulful tones of the cello caught the enigmatic essence of Jewish music. They finished their recital with a short encore, EJ Moeran's Prelude, an elegy of wistful beauty, which rounded off a most satisfying afternoon of chamber music.

The obvious rapport between the artists, the flamboyant and extrovert Stephen Guttman and the more introspective Tim Lowe, caught the real essence of successful musical partnership and gave us a concert to savour.

With Watford's Colosseum now moving towards the completion of its renovation and improvement, it is to be hoped that with two marvellous concert halls in the town, the one with a long reputation for acoustical excellence and, now, the Clarendon Muse so ideal for the smaller groups, Watford will once more be offered classical music of all types in venues which will match anything London can offer. Let us make full use of these great local assets.

Anthony Bramley-Harker