Piano, flute concert

Press, 29 June 1985, Page 8

Piano, flute concert

Rebecca Steel (flute), and Kay Reiche (piano), in concert at the Great Hall, Arts Centre, June 28, 8 p.m. Reviewed by Philip Norman. In this, the seemingly endless year of the Teutonic heavyweight, last evening’s concert at the Great Hall by Rebecca Steel (flute), and Kay Reiche (piano), came as a breath of fresh air. In a presentation that included Roussel’s “Jouers de Flute,” Gaubert’s “Fantaisie” and Dutilleux’s “Sonatine,” the key for the programme was, ' without a doubt, Gallic minor. In all three of these pieces the flute and piano lines worked together in commendable sympathy. The swirling colours and softly-focused harmonies of the Impressionist expression were captured with a care and vitality that was admirable. It was perhaps Roussel’s suite that was dispatched

with the greatest finesse. The warm tone of Rebecca Steel’s flute was ideally suited to the exotic legato lines in the Krishna movement, and the performer’s enviable agility came to the fore in the hyperactive Pan and Tityre movements. On occasion, though, most noticeably. in the Gaubert and later in the Dutilleux “Sonatine,” a tendency to gloss over the rapid scalic passages crept in. This, and an occasional deterioration of high-altitude tone, however did little to detract from what was otherwise an eloquent and satisfying sound. A quick modulation to the Iberian mode marked the two solo piano items presented by Kay Reiche. Soler’s single-movement “Sonata” was delivered with pleasing energy and exuberant spirit, although articulated at a dynamic arguably a shade strong for the Great

Hall grand piano. “The Lover and the Nightingale” by Granados was given excellent consideration. The mellifluous opening call of the nightingales augured well for a performance that was stylishly shaped and carefully controlled. That the big, centrepiece tune was not allowed to wallow in overblown sentimentality made the performance all the more pleasurable. Ending the concert, and the French and Spanish theme, was a performance of Prokofiev’s “Sonata.” While it was uneven in places and piano-dominated on occasion, there was sufficient vitality and fire in the playing for the work to have good impact. The haunting atmosphere established in the third movement was especially effective, and provided and admirable foil for the glittering bravura sounds of the preceding scherzo..