Impressive Recital By Young Pianist

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32018, 19 June 1969, Page 18

Impressive Recital By Young Pianist

Mr Richard Beauchamp, a young pianist from Blenheim, gave a pianoforte recital in the Civic Theatre last evening. Because there have been a large number of concerts in Christchurch during the last week it was not to be expected that there would be many people present. Nor were there; but those who were there enjoyed Mr Beauchamp’s confident and artistic playing of a well-chosen and satisfying programme. There Is many a pianist who has risen to fame after playing to small houses at the beginning of his career, and it is to be hoped that Mr Beauchamp will soon have the satisfaction of seeing “house full” notices to which his courageous and painstaking following of a star entitles him.

He has splendid flexibility and finger strength, giving good control and clarity at high speeds as well as a pleasant bell-like tone and an even grading of expressive changes. His pianissimo tone is always clear and of vital and of carrying quality. His phrasing was always full of meaning and interestingly shaped, and there was cleanly-cut accuracy in all his playing. Mr Beauchamp began bis programme with Bach’s French Suite No. 6 in E major, cleanly played and always interesting. At times his speeds seemed somewhat excessive and the ‘range of dynamics possibly more than was entirely stylish—but such were the exuberances of youth which fade all too quickly. The Haydn sonata in C was played with sparkling touch and with commendable clarity of line. It was most pleasant to hear Beethoven's sonata in A flat—a work most unjustly, neglected by concert pianists in recent years. Mr Beauchamp played the variations cleanly and with artistic changes of tone. He did not seem to bring out the awesome majesty that should be heard in the funeral march—while “all flesh is grass,” it is not all hay. There was a pleasing sparkle in the rondo. Schumann’s “Scenes of Childhood” Suite was played with poetic insight and some very lovely tonal effects. Mr

Beauchamp made very telling contrasts from scene to scene, and the whole performance was most pleasing. Mr Beauchamp will probably play Chopin’s Scherzo in C sharp minor somewhat differently in a few years. Some of it was rather confused and rhythmically tom about Two of Debussy’s preludes, “Reflections in the Water” and “Minstrels,” were very well played and showed excellent promise, and Liszt’s “La Campanella” was given grand strength and brilliance. —C.F.B.