SONG AND PIANO RECITAL

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26397, 16 April 1951, Page 2

SONG AND PIANO RECITAL

ALICE GRAHAM AND WILLIAM TRUSSELL

recita! §j ven by Alice Graham and William Trussell at Canterbury University College on Saturday evening was interesting both because of the music and of the standard of performance.

Alice Graham, a young contralto from Wellington, has a voice of exceptional promise. She has had a technical training which has securely established each step of the difficult climb to correct singing before attempting the next. The result is that she now has a control over her voice which gives her the ability to vary the tones in accordance with the requirements of the music, to use delicate nuances in phrasing, to build up power but to keep a reserve for use in climax and not to lessen interest on the way or to lose quality when full vocal power is needed. In addition to this, the clarity of her enunciation of consonants naturally, and the care given to producing correct vowel sounds mark her as one whose work will always please those who value careful thought in the technique of musical presentation.

Her artistic understanding of the music sung in this programme matched her technical ability, and therefore, she held attention always. One has no means of knowing the extent of her repertoire, but judging by Saturday evening’s performance one would not hesitate to say that with such a beautiful voice and such musical understanding she is a singer whose work will gain wide appreciation. After singing some Purcell she sang four songs by Richard Strauss which were well contrasted. The warm vibrancy of Alice Graham’s voice in Allerseelen and in Zueignung and the control of tone in Die Nacht, together

with her graceful moulding of phrasing, showed that she is one whose work in the field of lieder is well above the average. Among the Russian group Rachmaninoff’s “Before My Window" and “Sorrow in Spring" were sung with feeling and artistic sensibility. "Dark Are Now the Candles” by Tcherepin was very beautiful indeed.

Five Songs of Love and Life by Eric Fogg were of great interest. They are settings of poems by Tagore and the atmosphere of each has beeh skilfully captured both in the vocal line and in the accompaniments. Economy of means has been used and, although there is no suggestion of any pseudoAsiatic music in them at all, nevertheless, the spirit of the music matches that of the cultured Indian mind behind the poems. These songs should be sung by a man. Mr Gregory Kane read each poem before it was sung. Alice Graham sang these very beautiful compositions with deep understanding and gave a highly successful interpretation of them. William Trussell played the accompaniments with sensitive feeling for al! the implications of the widely varied musical styles involved in the programme. His command over the tonal colours required was always properly, matched and that of the singer, which added greatly to the success of the interpretations. His playing of the Partita in C minor by Bach, was marked by crispness of touch, vitality of rhythm, clear outlining and phrasing of contrasted melodies, and a nice feeling for toning contrasts between the various movements of the suite.

Kabalevsky’s Six Preludes are written clearly in pianistic style, and the abandon of a Russian dance and the rippling movement of the second and third respectively make instantaneous appeal. The third has a macabre touch about it and it is well worked out. The others one would like to hear again. At a first hearing they did not make any great impression. —C.F.B.