A BRILLIANT PIANIST

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 101, 2 May 1927, Page 12

A BRILLIANT PIANIST

MISS BENBOW'S RECITxVL

The art of Miss Klla Benbow places lier j in the very front rank of the pianistes in I New Zealand. For some time past her playing has been very favourably comgiented upon by the leading English critics, and it was recognised on the occa- j sion of her first public recital in Wellington that here was a star in the musical firmament. Expectations engendered on that occasion were more than amply fulfilled on Saturday evening, when to a fill! house in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall she presented an ambitious programme. It was a decidedly improved Miss Benbow that was heard, and not a few of those present were inclined after hearing the programme to place her at the very top of the tree as far as pianistes in Aew Zealand are concerned. To extraordinary technique she adds great strength, flexibility, and understanding, at once commanding the respect of any audience. The outstanding feature of her programme, which was varied in the extreme, was Glazounow's "Theme and "Variations." This remarkable composition, very seldom heard on the concert platform, is by the greatest living song writer of the new school of Russian music, and it is renowned for its extreme technical difficulty. Miss Benbow made light of its complex and intricate structure, showing herself possessed of an almost super-technique. The theme with its variations is built upon a simple folk song melody of entrancing beauty, and the applause which followed showed how mucli Miss BenboVs interpretation was appreciated. The programme, in addition to this monumental work, contained items from the compositions of the great masters as well as selections from the best of modern composers. Amongst the former were Scarlatti's delightful "Sonata in A Major," "March a la Turque" (Beethoven), Schumann's "Traumes Winnen," and Eachmaninoff's "Prelude in G Minor." I£ any fault is to be found at all with Miss Benbow's playing of these numbers, it is that at times she has a tendency to' cultivate speed to the detriment of rhythm. They certainly served to display to the full the plaj'er's technique and intellectual equipment. A bracket number "bf seven of Chopin's compositions was very delicately played, and great depth of feeling was demonstrated •in the rendering of these well-known compositions.

Modern impressionist compositions were represented by John Ireland's "The Island Spell," Debussy's "Jardins Sous la Pluie," and "Toccata," and Dolmanyi's "Rhapsodic." These proved to be intensely popular and were warmly applauded. As a fitting termination to a groat programme was played Liszt's "Rhapsodic Hongroise (No. 12)", which ■•■admirably suited Miss Benbow's virile playing. Several encores were demanded and given during the recital, and the insistent applause and large number of floral bouquets testified to the undoubted triumph that Miss Benbow justly enjoyed.