Brahms' Piano Quintet in F Minor is like a campaign for change that's sweeping the world.

It has something to say and is unstoppable in saying it.

The sublime quintet was the final work presented by The Aroha String Quartet with pianist, Diedre Irons, at The Globe, Palmerston North, on Wednesday night.

It has drive, determination and rhythmic muscularity. Brahms poured plenty of ideas into the quintet and the musicians tamed the work with a powerful interpretation. What upheld their performance was exuberance.

There are melodies running through the work that need to be sustained and the quintet energised them throughout.

In particular, I enjoyed the interaction between Irons and each member of the quartet.

The programme began with Haydn's String Quartet in C, Op 33, No 3. It's nicknamed the bird and is graceful, light-hearted and almost frivolous. It's good to know birds make the same noise worldwide.

It was subtle and precise, with good balance, but sometimes needed a creamier sound.

There were slight intonation problems in the second movement, but the final was crisp, delicate and a delight.

The second work, Unbound by Brigid Bisley, was a riddle, wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

The quotation isn't mine. It's Winston Churchill. He could have been describing Unbound. At one level it was atonal and sounded like the AA fixing my brakes. At the other extreme it was colourful, adventurous and pushed the boundaries.

The Aroha String Quartet accepted the challenge of the free-spirited work and gave it authority. The second movement is turbulent, gutsy and carries the grind of Bruckner.

Concerts are to educate, entertain and provoke. Wednesday night's achieved all three and Aroha String Quartet is to be congratulated for its intrepid programming.

The quartet is going from strength to strength.