PROMISING PIANIST

Evening Star, Issue 25634, 7 November 1945, Page 6

PROMISING PIANIST

RECITAL BY MISS SHIRLEY CRAIG A programme of considerable merit was chosen by Miss Shirley Craig, a, young Wellintgon pianist of great promise, for a recital presented in the Concert Chamber last nigbt. Coming soon after a series of overseas piano celebrities, Miss Craig inevitably invited comparison with the eminent names of recent, visitors, but such a comparison would be unfair. She displayed an intellectual approach to music which should stand her in good stead in her future development. Any young pianist of unusual standard who offers one of the better Schubert sonatas and the Grieg Ballade, together with othei interesting items, on the one programme deserves good support, but is. unfortunately, liable to have exactly what Miss Craig had last night—a small audience.

The Wellington girl, who has already achieved a notable reputation in the north, has extensive technical accom.plishments. In her recital last night tone and colour could have been varied more sharply on occasions, and occasional inaccuracies were noted in bravura passages, but the interpretation of the music suggested a broad and' intelligent understanding of the composers' intentions. The recital opened with two of the delightful sonatas of Scarlatti, which are "enjoying a pleasant vogue at present. The pianist captured fine rippling effects and exhibited a good style I in these short works. A gavotte by Rameau, with variations by Leschetizky, called for extensive technical resources, which Miss Craig was able _to suppy with apparent ease. The major work on the first section of the programme was Schubert's A Major! Sonata, in sections of which the player ] secured admirable effects, particularly i in the smoothly-flowing last movement A Chopin group included the infrequently heard Polonaise in B Flat Major, three studies, including the '•Revolutionary,' and the massive Scherzo in C Sharp Minor. The Grieg Ballade, which deserves more attention from pianists in general, was possibly the most interesting work on the programme, and certainly the one in which Miss Craig most surely showed her' possibilities. The big work had striking cohesion, with admirable emphasis on the plaintive principal theme; and good climactic effects as the piece proceeded. In a modern group were the atmospheric 'lsland Spell,' by John Ireland, the more matter-of-fact ' Rosemary,' by Frank Bridge, and the witty ' Perpetual Motion ' of Poulenc. An inspiring performance of Liszt's Sixth Hungarian Rhapsody, followed by two encore items, concluded the re-r cital. -