Thrilling Pianoforte Recital

Northland Age, Volume XVIII, Issue 76, 5 July 1949, Page 5

Thrilling Pianoforte Recital

INFORMAL AUDIENCE CHARMED Last evening in the R.S.A. Assembly Hall, a fair audience was enchanted by the piano recital offered by Mr. Peter Cooper who was sponsored by the Community Arts Service through the good offices of the local committee of that organisation. At short notice arrangements were made by the Kaitaia Committee, and due honour must be done to the constructive organisation carried out, including the tuning of the piano supplied by the Hall authorities, and upon which Mr. Cooper carried out mor e than successfully many items which other pianists would not have attempted on such an instrument. The informality of the evening did

much to add to the thorough enjoyment of the listeners, all of whom could have imagined that they were | enjoying a soiree in their own homes. Mr. Cooper’s opening numbers were a bracket from Bach, “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desire” and “Prelude and Fugue.” He followed this with a very fine interpretation of Mozart’s Sonata in D Major, this being thought by the audience the acme of pianoforte perfection. But still more of such texture was to come. Mr. Cooper then offered a Chopin group, a Ballade, three Etudes among which was that in A Minor, a mighty effort on such an instrument which it must be admitted lacks essential volume for such a composition. This was followed by Schertzo and a nocturne before the time for intermission. Following the interval was heard the lovely Faire Nocturne, followed by a piece by Ravel, then Poulene Pastorale,” the whole concluding with Listz’s paraphrase 0 f Rigoletto. Truly a feast of the best of the best was the consensus of ©pinion.