LECTURE RECITAL AT PIANOFORTE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22335, 24 February 1938, Page 3

LECTURE RECITAL AT PIANOFORTE

MRS STANSFIELD PRIOR’S PERFORMANCE A pleasing informal lecture recital, arranged by the Laurian Club, given in the Jellicoe Hall last night by Mrs Stansfield Prior (president of the Society of Women Musicians m England), assisted by a string quartetconsisting of Miss Irene Moms Miss Gladys Vincent. Mrs Valmai Moffat, and Mr Joseph Mercer. Mrs Prior introduced each item by helpful comment on the composer and on the work to be played. The opening work was the dramatic quintet of Cesar Franck. Though the chords added by the pianist to Franck s unaccompanied string writing may have assisted the immediate capture of the intense opening mood of the work, it was less necessary and less desirable to apply the device at later stages of the piece. It was, however, as a whole, accurately and well played, and even if it did not always sufficiently sing on through the bars, seeming at times rather to be fettered by them, it nevertheless gave convincing expression to the composer’s vivid mood changes. The outstanding performance of the evening was that by Mrs Prior of a Schubert Sonata in A, the second of his three posthumous pianoforte sonatas. Mrs Prior spoke of the need for departure from the conventional in programme building, and for the inclusion of this rarely heard work she is sincerely to be thanked. The first movement—built from attractive subject material, worked out interestingly and with clearly defined key relationships as it logically moved through to its conclusion. The second movement opened with a song-like melody strongly suggestive of the composer’s “Gillyflowers,” and before the return of this tuneful air it had passed through an impromptu like middle section. The scherzo was crisply rhythmic and satisfyingly melodic, and the Finale proved the most interesting movement of all. compelling one to think at times of Beethoven, at times of Haydn, yet always returning to a treatment that was essentially Schubertian. In commemoration of the late French composer. Ravel, Mrs Prior chose as the final item of her interesting programme the composer’s well-known and well-loved “Sonatine." In resoonse to appreciative anplause the recitalist played “Seguidillas” of Albeniz, and one of the Phantasiestucke of Schumann.