Schubert and Stravinsky to finish series

Press, 13 June 1978, Page 18

Schubert and Stravinsky to finish series

The Canterbury Orchestra will give the final concert on Friday evening in the subscription series featuring Schubert symphonies and New Zealand pianists.

The sixth Symphony will be featured. This is the last of the group of symphonies Schubert wrote between the ages of 16 and 21, and is regarded as the turning point in his handling of symphonic form. The work looks forward to the grand manner of his last three symphonies. Although the work was most likely written for a society of amateur musicians in Vienna, Schubert made no concessions — unexpected modulations and deft wind and string Writing foreshadow the “Rosamunde” Overture, which he was to write two years later.

The concert will also feature Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano and Wind Orchestra written in Biarritz in 1924 as a concerto for the composer to perform.

By the 1920 s Stravinsky’s Russian period was over. In the

aftermath of World War I, the artistic climate which had enabled him to write ballets such as “Petrouchka” and the “Rite of Spring” had been destroyed, and Stravinsky was faced with the prospect of earning his living as a performing musician. On the advice of the conductor, Koussevitsky, he undertook serious study of the piano and made his debut as soloist and interpreter of his own music in a performance of this concerto in May, 1924, at the Paris Opera. In the four years after his debut, Stravinsky performed this concerto more than 40 times.

The soloist will be Diedre Irons, who made her solo debut with the Winnipeg Symphony, the orchestra of her native city, at the age of 10. As an 11-year-old, she became a student of the Candian composer Eckhardt-Gram-att; she grew to be the composer’s master pupil, appearing on many television and radio broadcasts.

Between the ages of eight and 22 she performed more than 20 engagements with the Can-

adian Broadcasting Cor-

poration, received three grants from the Canadian Council of Arts, and made major solo appearances with orchestras under the baton of such conductors as Sir Ernest MacMillan, Boris Brott, and Arthur Fiedler. At the age of 23, after having received music degrees from the University of Manitobe, the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Miss Irons accepted an invitation from Rudolf Serkin to join the faculty of the Curtis Institute.

Diedre Irons has given chamber recitals in many major North American cities, performed at the Marlbbro Music Festival, and appeared on a nationally televised broadcast with Pablo Casals. She has performed as guest soloist with numerous orchestras, has been recorded by RCA Victor, and toured Canada with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Miss Irons came to New Zealand in 1977 to join her husband, who had been appointed principal

double bass of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. She has broadcast for Radio New Zealand, performed at Victoria University, recorded for TVl’s “New Zealand Pianists” series, and appeared in sonata recitals with the concertmaster of the N.Z.5.0., Peter Schaffer. Later this year she will tour with Mr Schaffer for the Music Federation and with the N.Z.S.O. as piano soloist in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4.

The programme on Friday will close with a performance of Haydn’s Symphony No. 103 (the “Drum Roll”). This symphony was written in England during Haydn’s second visit in 1795 under the auspices of the impresario, Salomon, who promoted concerts of Haydn’s music. Before the Friday concert, the orchestra will continue its series of performances in communities outside Christchurch with a performance at Rangiora High School, tomorrow evening.

The Friday concert in the Town Hall will be a “twilight” one, beginning at 5.30 p.m.