C.S.O. premieres Canty composition

Press, 16 October 1989, Page 6

C.S.O. premieres Canty composition

Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, sponsored by “The Press,” in the Town Hall Auditorium, October 14, at 8 p.m. Reviewed by Paul Goodson. Whatever the nature of the ensuing assessments, any critic who is able to review three contemporary New Zealand works in the course of one evening is fortunate.

Hard on the heels of the Continuum programme came the premiere of Philip Norman’s “Canterbury Rhythms.” This palindromic study with strong — and intentional — evocations of Lilburn, avoided an overt programmatic design. It didn't need one. Norman has written a splendid piece of ever-changing instru-

mental sonorities, rhythmic vitality and variety within a regular pulse, and immediacy of impact with no trace of triviality. The transitions from rapid figurations to sustained melody notes were particularly ingenious, with no graunching of the compositional gears. My only real quibble lay in the bouncing string semiquaver figures which sounded too thick-textured and over scored. This was probably as much a performance as a conceptual issue; otherwise the orchestra responded with an efficient if sometimes “literal” reading.

The remaining programmed items were undemonstrative, and the better for being so.

Richard Strauss’s first horn concerto unfolded with Mozartian poise arid precision. There is no great complexity of scoring, but the work’s charming melodies and clearly defined structures give it a distinction which other composers’ Op. Ils have been unable to achieve.

Edward Allen brought a flowing line and well-judged breath control to the generally unextended solo lines and was supported by cheerful orchestral accompaniments.

Mozart’s “Jupiter” symphony was rightly given “star” billing as the entire second half of the programme. A hurried first movement showed up some offkeyviolinpitchingonanacruses.and

jostled the music’s natural phrasal warmth. The inner movements were shapely and clean textured.

Conductor Max Mcßride again set an optimistic pace for the last movement, which brought a time of reckoning to the mighty fugal style coda. But the performers pushed their way through the difficulties with assurance. Clean and generally uniform bowing resulted in clarity in the contrapuntal exchanges. Mozart’s Serenade K. 229 had little initial sparkle in the March. However, the bustling little Rondo which concludes the piece bubbled along nicely and the touches of humour were gently brought out.