Quartet Players Share Many Interests

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30193, 26 July 1963, Page 13

Quartet Players Share Many Interests

The members of the Allegri Quartet —Eli Goren (violin), Patrick Ireland (viola), James Barton (violin) and William Pleeth (’cello) —who gave a concert for the Christchurch Chamber Music Society in the Civic Theatre last evening, have a lot of interests in common.

All are professors of music at the Guildhall School of Music, London. Their wives are musical —three are professional pianists. Two, Messrs Goren and Ireland, share an interest in carpentry and have made furniture for their homes, Mr Pleeth was a walker in his youth. ' He took part three times in the LondonBrighton return walk—a distance of about 100 miles for the return journey. Mr Barton is an enthusiastic underwater swimmer. Since its last tour in 1961. the quartet has noticed many changes for the better, especially in hotels. The food, while still not exciting, was enjoyable. They felt that too much food was offered. New Zealand audiences were praised by the quartet as being very good listeners who seemed to understand the music. It was amazing that a city of this size should

have such a large Chamber Music Society. Smaller halls were preferable to play in, as they created the intimate atmosphere for chamber music The quartet likes, where possible, to play in the middle of a hall surrounded by the audience.

If left-handed golfers are rare, left-handed violinists are more so. However, this is the case with Mr Barton He was surprised to meet another in Dunedin this week. While in New Zealand, the quartet will hold master classes for teachers.