ALMA TRIO CONCERT

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28619, 23 June 1958, Page 16

ALMA TRIO CONCERT

Superb Playing

Saturday evening was notable for the chamber music concert given by the Alma Trio in the Civic Theatre. These players, Messrs Adolf Baller, pianist. Maurice Wilk, violinist, and Gabor Rejto, ’cellist, delighted the members of the Chamber Music Society when they played here a few years ago; and their superb playing at this concert showed that memory had not exaggerated the effects that they then produced.

It was a grand concert. Not only did the players give a feeling of complete security, but every turn of the way brought forth arresting beauty portrayed by nuance, shapeliness, and highlight of expression and tone —expected, but always somehow exceeding expectation. The programme began with Beethoven’s Trio in E flat. Op. 70 No. 2. The contemplative introduction set an atmosphere of well-being which was not lost throughout the concert. The music continued with an uplifting of the spirit in a serene and happy atmosphere. In fact the whole nrogramme was of sunshine and good fellowship. What shadows there were came only in the natural order and had none of the darkness of a tortured introspection. There was a martial air in the second movement, with strict discipline, but the troops were in good heart. The third had a melody that sang of happy times remembered, and the fourth gushed forth as a great fountain flashing and dancing so brightly and jovously. Mr Baller produced a fullbodied tone, clear and ringing at all times and markedly expressive. Mr Wilk drew from his violin a wide variety of tones which sang steadily and securely at all levels of expression. The mellow loveliness of Mr Rejto’s playing and his astounding control of the instrument confirmed an opinion that he is the most satisfying ’cellist we have heard here. There is in this tone the gay abandon of the fiesta, and the bouquet of the good vintage Kodaly’s Duo for Violin and ’Cello was excitingly interesting It is out-of-doors music of decidedly romantic nature. It gave the impression of a fair where, amid some confusion, the attention is caught now by some garish troop of dancers —the barbaric theme against the pizzicato drumlike accompaniment in the first movement, perhaps—or a small menagerie (when the ’cello made roaring sounds in the second movement, as though a tiger was having indigestion). In this second movement there was an alternation of quiet thoughtfulness, and a frenzy which seemed as though far more than two instruments were being used to make all that racket. Both the first and second movements ended in peace and serenity. The third movement returned to the atmosphere of the first in questing and jostling fashion, with some very vivid pizzicato playing, and another look at the gypsy dancers. The playing of the whole work was a tour de force. Then came, as a friend held in lasting esteem and affection, Schubert’s glorious Trio in B flat —and a glorious performance it was. It was played with great elan. The. highly expressive shaping of the playing came straight from the heart of th£ music. There was life, colour and vigour here and it swept us away with its clarion call to all those good quantities which created fellowship and mutual understanding in the past and could do so again if given the chance. The Alma Trio will play again for members of the Chamber Music Society on Wednesday evening. —C.F.B.

Double Service.—“ The thing that strikes me about the modern vogue of taking washing to a laundrette is not so much the mechanical ingenuity of the machine, but the opportunities it provides for social meetings and chatter.”—James R. Gregson speaking in a 8.8. C. programme.