VIOLINIST GIVES FINE RECITAL

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31170, 21 September 1966, Page 24

VIOLINIST GIVES FINE RECITAL

A recital of fine quality was given by the Australian violinist, Ronald Woodcock, and the pianist, Colleen Rae. yesterday in the University lunch-time concert series.

Both contributed to a con-1 vincingly forthright reading of Beethoven’s Opus 30, No. 3, a sonata which calls for a sense of the cumulative and for sensitive judgment in handling the contrasts between crisp rhythm and sonorous expressiveness. The work as a whole held together well. Mr Woodcock is a violinist whose disciplined bowing technique and unaffected stage presence belie the highly developed musicianship and keen artistic perception which produce playing of such first-class quality. The spirit of Ravel underlay Five Melodies by Prokofiev, which were given delightful performances. The Four Pieces, Opus 7, by Webern, can seldom have been played with such conviction. They are trifles, but important in spite of their i limited scope. In real life, and in Mr Woodcock's hands, they reduce to the rank of “pale reflection” the recordings in existence. —J.A.R.