School displays finesse

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34008, 24 November 1975, Page 18

School displays finesse

In the Xgaio Marsh Theatre on Saturday evening. the Christchurch School of Instrumental Music presented a recital by Orchestras 4. 3 and 2. These concerts illustrate the astonishing gain in technique and in musical finesse as the young per- ’ formers advance year by year showing not only ; the competence of the teaching, but also the ; sterling worth of the;; whole scheme. ; l! Orchestra four tried hard, j I but was rather over-ambitious il in choice of items. Both thei' full orchestra and the brass 1 ' section, although the players'* deserve commendation for < their desire to do well, would ‘ have given more satisfying I playing had easier works i been chosen. Orchestra three ? showed a decided advance. I hut here again standards in tone and in intonation inevit- r ably were governed by the C ability of the weakest mem- a bers of what are over-large <s groups. The wind group and the string group of orchestralf three showed much promise 1 in the best features of the h playing, and if there were rl

some growing pains apparrent. the hurt was not very great: and while in some details of the playing the will had to be taken for the deed, it was, without doubt, a good will. Two chamber groups played at this concert. From' playing chamber music the good performers gain quickly rather more than they do merely by playing in the orchestras. This aspect of the work of the C.S.I.M. is valu- . able beyond measure and isj; to be warmly commended.; Lesley MacDonald (flute), Jo-/ iseph Adams (violin), and/ Peter Lamb (piano), played/ >a largo from Teleman’s Trio/ 'Sonata in A minor. It shouldll {be remembered by youngj players that slow movements;' {usually call for a more subtle;l i artistry in phrasing and tonal'l than do their faster I companions. This group f shows good promise. Particu- < larly pleasing was the pleas-1' ant tone and flexibility in nu-T ances shown by Lesley Mac- t Donald in her flute playing. Gregory Taylor, violin, Pat- t ricia Dumbleton, ’cello, and t Gerard Pritchett, piano, gave!' an interesting and well 11 shaped performance of the 1 Allegro Moderato from Trio‘s No. 23 in E flat by Haydn. 1’ There was commendable feel- t ing for style, a definite ’< rhythmic pulse, and care for F

dynamics in this playing.; Gerard Pritchett’s piano play-! ing had good command of tonal variety and most pleasing flexibility in phrasing. Orchestra two, conducted by Mr Peter Rowe, lived up to the excelent reputation gained earlier this year. Four Hungarian Folk Dances by Kodaly began their performance. Atmosphere for each was well created with vigour ;in the first, plaintive and;, graceful sounds in the second; and third, and a return to the!! I fun of the fair in the last. . The playing had strong rhythmic interest, good tone and intonation, and tidiness in phrase endings both in the : Kodaly and in the charming .perforance of the Carnival of the Animals which fol-'

Towed. Tn this, the two piani parts were artistically playet by Robert Webster and Philij Sewell. They had excellen' cohesion and precision, wit! imaginative tonal colouring and a most pleasing elar throughout the performance Mr Rowe directed with in teresting contrasts betweer the movements of this amusing suite which he and his players brought so well tc life. All the soloists played most pleasingly, and particular mention must be made of the beautiful tone of the ’cello in “The Swan”,—C. Foster Browne.