Sensitive recital

Press, 9 June 1978, Page 4

Sensitive recital

BY C. FOSTER BROWNE The University of Canterbury Chamber Orchestra presented a programme of music suited to its surroundings in the Christchurch College thapel on Tuesday, and in St Alban - Methodist Church yesterday. It began with three movements from Bach's “Ari of Fugue,” and the players, well trained in listening to one* another, gave balanced performances which kept the texture of the compositions. Hear in delineation and meeting into a satisfyinglv rich' blending. The players, all students, are to be congratulated on following Professor John Ritchie’s conducting so that the contrapuntal strands of the music and their com-

bining into nobility of decora-; tion and of conviction was! as convincing as it was pleas- j ing to hear. In the Ricercar, a six-part | fugue on a theme by Frederick; the Great, the players found! real meaning beneath the printed notes of the score, and gave us something to be enjoyed as well as to be admired. Mark Hodgkinson and John Snelgrove joined the strings,! and David Vine played the; continuo part in the Sonata! in D. by Franceschini. The' trumpeters played w’ith seem ! inglv perfect accord both in. articulation and in balance: of excellent tone, and; achieved a brilliantly satis-; fying result. Professor Ritchie conducted the orchestra, which was led bv Beverly Dwan. I