UNIVERSITY RECITAL

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30811, 24 July 1965, Page 23

UNIVERSITY RECITAL

Imaginative Playing It was delightful to hear Charmian Gadd and Maurice Till at the University Hall on Thursday so soon after their splendid recital in the Civic Theatre. This university recital was the last Miss Gadd wMI give before returning to Australia. However, it is hoped that she will pay us many more visits. This programme began with the Brahms Sonata in G for violin and piano. Broad and confident sweeps of tone from the low register of the violin were followed by the lyric flow of the main theme played with vibrancy and warmth. Excellent balance in ensemble and sensitive matching in all the subtleties of expression were most enjoyable features of this imaginative and deeply-felt interpretation. The acoustic qualities of this hall—more lively than the Civic Theatre—suited Miss Gadd’s tone excellently and this performance of such noble music will be remembered with gratitude. The adagio movement was given a wide range of tone, all imbued with strong and romantie feeling and shaped with artistic judgment and understanding. The last movement warmly flowed along, giving joy to its hearers every step of the way.

After this came Bartok’s Second Sonata and both Miss Gadd and Mr Till showed they have the same mastery in modern as they have in romantic music. The first movement began with diverting but seemingly unrelated fragments. For the most part the first movement is anxious and fretful questioning with glimpses here and there of lyric tranquillity. Control of varying timbres was al way interesting and the phrasing was immaculate. The second movement was often angrily percussive, with many rhythmic and harmonic difficulties for both the players and the audience. This was one of those works which could well be played twice on the same programme in a university recital. —C.F.B.