Sentimental Work: Laura van der Heijden on Amy Beach’s Piano Quintet

Amy Beach’s Piano Quintet in F sharp minor op.67 is a joy to play. It’s a beautiful piece of music, emotional and very honest. The opening of the slow movement in particular is like bathing in golden sound, and gives a feeling of stillness and calm in the middle of what is otherwise a very dramatic work. I also love the string textures throughout the piece, and the way they work with the piano – and the harmonies are absolutely gorgeous. The music creates a very intense emotional world that’s capable of transporting the listener, and it contains a lot of unusual themes and ways of conveying love, yearning and longing.