TWO PIANOFORTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 90, 13 October 1939, Page 4

TWO PIANOFORTES

RECITAL BY PAUL AND PINY SCHRAMM

M. Paul and Diny Schramm, his wife,still further .consolidated their high musical, reputation last night. The occasion. was a recital for two pianofortes, the place the Concert Chamber. A programme of ; particular^ interest, especially "or. musical :gou|mets, was presented, ranging from arrangements of works by Bach and Mozart to M. Schramm's own arrangements. M. Paul Schramm at this date needs no introduction to 'concert audiences. He is known to them throughout the Dominion not only by recitals but by the medium of radio, but he and his Equally talented wife have not so frequently been heard playing together and not yet at all over the air. They deserve far' larger audiences than the musically learned and discriminating can supply, for in the programme presented last night they included' items of eloquent emotional as well as of powerful intellectual appeal. The opening numbers were an arrangement of "Sheep May Safely Graze," from Bach's "Birthday Cantata" (a work which has been given in Wellington), the arrangement of the recitative and aria for soprano for two pianos, made by Howe; and the succeeding- number, was the overture to "The Magic Flute", of Mozart, as arranged by Busoni. Apart from the extraordinary facility with which the performers surmounted the technical difficulties in "The Magic Flute" number, the audience was spellbound by the richness of the colouring imparted to the works by the players, their absolutely perfect time and accord, and their suggestion at times of the effects obtainable from an orchestra. Schumann and Rubinstein were given honoured places in the programme by the Andante with variations (op. 46) of the former and study in C major of the latter, arranged by Schramm. Both numbers were conspicuous for the fluency of delivery and keen and sparkling performances by veritable virtuosi playing it seemed as on one instrument. The Rubinstein number had to be repeated to stay the clamour of the audience for more. An agreeable surprise fsr many was a scherzo of Saint-Saeris, one of a group of four short pieces, and yet another delightful and unexpected piece was a minuet and gavotte of Raff written for four hands but arranged by M. Schramm for two pianos. Among the extra' numbers played was one of eight polonaises by Schumann written for four hands, works that were not discovered until recently and first published in 1933, a piece of exquisite beauty, one played with appropriate refinement. Modern music, too, ■ was given its place in the recital, and it included a Viennese Rhapsody by Mario Castel-nuoyo-Tedescho. The work is in three sections, "Old Vienna" (waltz), Nocturne, and a "Memento Mori." The programme note described the work as "an impression of dying Vienna of the post-war inflation, dancing to ruin and disaster." As such it was made graphically descriptive, played with power, and made expressive of the unquiet spirit of the time. Again modernity was represented in M. Schramm's brilliant arrangement of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," that work also being made almost uncannily expressive of the febrile spirit of our times. Other items in a full and de r lightful evening of virtuoso pianoforte playing were Stravinsky's "Balalaika" and a "Gavotte," and Scherzo (Arensky), Hardanger (Arnold Bax). and "Lindaraja" (Debussy). The second recital for tomorrow evening will include works by Bach and--Brahms, and dances by Manuel, Infante, also Ravel's "Mother Goose" suite. -