CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27148, 18 September 1953, Page 6

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT

ENJOYABLE PLAYING BY ALMO QUARTET.

Congratulations must again be given to the Christchurch Chamber Music Society for having once more arranged a concert that has maintained the society’s reputation for giving subscribers delightful fare. On Wednesday evening the Almo String Quartet, consisting of Vincent Aspey, Eric Lawson. Freda Meier, and Greta Ostova, were the players. They are all members of the National Orchestra and, although the orchestra had presented a concert in the afternoon, all seemed quite fresh and gave of their best. Their best is exceedingly good, and sensitive and ■ experienced musicianshio marked all their playing. It is extraordinary how exceedingly good the Civic Theatre is acoustically for chamber music. Every sound is perfectly clear. Though this tests a quartet severely, these artists had no cause to fear such a test. The balance of tone throughout the concert could not be Suited and, except for a certain roughness in some powerful chords in the first movement of Beethoven’s Quartet in C minor, the same can be said for the quality of the tone produced. Therefore, when the members of this quartet give, as they do, perfect intonation, a wide variety of splendidly balanced tonal qualities, a most Uplifting rhythmic sense and interpretations which get right through the printed page to the essence of the music, they show themselves to be a group of players of a high order and are certain to exert a very valuable influence on music in New Zealand.

There is nothing slip-shod in their preparation, and all the little details of finish have been carefully thought out. How testing quick, reiterated, soft chords can be! With these players, each little chord is given something slightly different from its neighbours, so that such passages come to life with a rippling lilt. Variety of tonal quality in pizzicato work also adds considerably to the enjoyment of their j.laying. When themes passed from one instrument to another, tile matching of tone and weight was very skilfully carried out. The programme—the Beethoven C minor, the Borodin D major and the Dohnanyi D flat major—provided plenty of contrast within the romantic sphere. The gentle unfolding of the intertwining themes of the first movement of the Beethoven and the gaiety of the finale made this work an ideal opening. The colour of Borodin’s easy flow of harmonic resources—very sweet, but charming nevertheless—and the vigour and tang of the Dohnanyi were admirably balanced. 'This last work, particularly the scherzo and the last movement, produced the playing one found most attractive in the evening’s performance, but that is a purely personal preference. —C.F.B.