The Lark Society for Chamber Music presented the group known as VentiCordi ”“ which means “winds” and “strings” ”“ in a concert at Woodford’s Congregational Church in Portland Nov. 9. This group of talented, professional musicians has made a specialty of performing works for mixed instruments that are infrequently performed.

The performers in the group include: Dean Stein, co-director and violinist; Kimberly Lehmann, viola; Ashima Scripp, cello; Sarah Brady, flute; and Kathleen McNerney, co-director and oboe.

The earliest composition was composed in 1915 by Max Reger, and the most recent one in 1935 by Grazyna Bacewicz. Taken together as a group, the music could have been advertised as music for a summer’s afternoon ”“ or evening. While they made few demands on the listener, they could hardly be described as trifles. What they all had in common was that when a wind instrument appeared with strings, the wind instrument was essentially the first among equals and the strings either acted as accompanying instruments or junior partners at best. I have heard these fine musicians perform previously, and nothing I heard this afternoon altered my previous impressions.

Their intonation was superb the entire concert, rhythms were crisp, dynamic markings were marvelously drawn, and the interaction between the performers was evident. Each knew when the other had the lead, they neither rushed nor overpowered the one who had the more important phrase. The timbre of Ms. Brady’s flute could readily be described as having a liquid quality, and is even in quality from the lowest to the highest notes, which she demonstrated in “The Jet Whistle” by Villa Lobos. She also played an alto flute whose range extends a perfect 5th below the standard flute and is much longer.

Ms. McNerney’s oboe playing is a model of what the oboe should sound like; in the hands of less-gifted performers it’s often an unpleasant experience. Her playing really impressed me again in the Trio by Hans Gal, especially in the 2nd movement. Mr. Stein’s violin’s lines were always singing, accurate, whether he had the lead or in a subsidiary line. His playing ever impresses one as making things sound easy and natural even though they may be quite difficult. Ms. Lehmann’s viola playing is likewise outstanding in every respect. Most violas sound like someone’s distant cousin, twice removed. Her large, robust tone proves that to every generalization, there is a happy exception, and she is a fine musician as well. The first movement of the Serenade by Max Reger aptly showed her playing to good advantage.

I noted that it was remarkable just how engaging and enjoyable that music composed for merely three instruments like this one (no piano!) could be. There was nothing earth-shaking, just music that was expressive and well written.

The cello performance of Ms. Scripp was ever musical and was demonstrated at the start in the Trio by Bacewicz. In the concluding work, Conversations by Arthur Bliss, Ms. McNerney enthralled one and all with her solo performance on the English horn, an instrument that is neither English nor horn. It is an alto oboe, and even more demanding to play well than the oboe ”“ some things defy logical explanations. The next event in the series will occur on Dec. 7 with a concert featuring the distinguished Portland String Quartet.

— Dr. Gold is a composer/conductor and an arts reviewer for the Journal Tribune.