MISS VERA MOORE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20536, 11 October 1928, Page 13

MISS VERA MOORE.

AN ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT. It is questionable whether any colonial city of the size of Dunedin can claim as its children so many musicians, particularly executive, of European fame. One of the finest of these, Miss Vera Moore, is **. isiting her home town, and appeared in Burns Hall last night before a large and musically representative audience. Her appearance has been awaited with great interest, particularly by those who have heard her on previous occasions. The development of an artistic personality under the inspiration of such an idealist as Mr Leonard Borwiek, and in the congenial atmosphere of the musical centres of Europe, aroused expectations which were more than realised. Miss Moore has added to the brilliant technique she has always possessed, a lofty and yet absolutely sane conception of her art, which makes her playing of all schools and periods of entrancing in-, terest. The constitution of the programme was in itself an unmistakable indication of real artistry. ’ A long procession of piano virtuosi have almost educated the majority of cencert goers into believing that Each wrote only one work; that the only three sonatas in piano literature are a well-worn group by Beethoven, and that Chopin earned his place amongst the masters by the composition of one nocturne, two valses, one polonaise, and an entomalogical study. Miss Moore is to be sincerely thanked for a programme of new and extremely Interesting material. In the first group the daintiness and grace of Scarlatti and Leo typified the outstanding characteristics of the early eighteenth century Italian harpsichordists. Next followed a charming group of three English composers—Boyce and Arne of the same period and Purcell of an earlier generation. Beauty of melody was their outstanding characteristic, and the audience would fain have heard the Boyce Gavotte repeated several times. Leaving the well-worn selection of Bach usually submitted on concert programmes, Miss Moore delved into the organ choralpreludes with the happiest results. Her rendering of Berwick’s transcript of Jesu, Remain My Friend,” provoked the audience to an exceptionally warm tribute of admiration. Miss Moore’s delivery of the stately choral melody, dovetailed as it is between an exquisite flow of contrapuntal embroidery, combined, in the happiest manner, dign.ty and grace. The last number in the group, a skilful arrangement by Berwick of Bach’s ‘ O Lamb of God,” provided a severe test of technique and of phrasing. The first half of this work is considerably more effective on the piano than the organ, the instrument for which Bach wrote it. The constant appearance of the theme m an inner voice against n rich polyphonic background, provides a most satisfactoiy pianistic effect, and Miss Moore s per formancc of it. was calculated to turn many previously lukewarm admirers of the Leipzig Cantor into whole-hearted enthusiasts. . , , t „ , . The inclusion of a Schubert Sonata in the programme merited the most cordial approval. Schubert s cssoys in in the cyclic forms of Sonata and symphony has been criticcsd for their looseness of structure, and lack of thematic development. VMulc Schubert had, however, little of the architectonic genius of Beethoven, he had, in compensation, an inexhaustible flow of beautiful melody, and a sensitive feeling for the harmonic possibilities ’of a theme. The Sonata m A minor was well chosen as exhibiting these features in a pleasantly marked decree. In addition, the first movement, after the questioning hesitancy of the first subject, exhibits a great deal of dramatic force and forms an effective contrast with the sheer lyrical beauty of the variations which follow. The Scherzo is instinct with typical Schubertian ky transitions, and, the concluding Rondo, with its strongly contrusted subjects, completes a thoroughly interesting work. Miss Moore’s interpretation combined the poetry of the artist with tho thoughtful care of the student, tho result being a strong desire to hear her play the work again. The last group was entirely modern in its outlook. Debussy was represented by “La Fille aux cheveux de lin” and “La Soiree dans Grenade.” The musical interest of the latter made it appear considerably the more interesting of the two, the essential connection between flaxen hair and Debussy’s music in tho first number being _ known to Debussy only. Ravel’s “ Ship at Sea was the most brilliant and interesting number in this group. Miss Moore made light of its very considerable difficulties, and gave the audience a tone picture which magically depicted its subject. “Movement Ferpetuel ” (Poulence) and Chopin’s Revolutionary and A minor studies made a brilliant coda to a thoroughly artistic programme. In response to enthusiastic demands Miss Moore played as encores Brahm’s A flat major valse, a chorale prelude of Bach, “Lord Christ, God’s Only Son,” and the Spanish dance of Granados. The Bach, in particular, was a veritable gem. If the essence of true art is to bring the listener into intimate touch with the message of the composer, rather than to parade the idiosyncracies of the performer, and few will deny this, then Miss Vera Moore is a great artist. Those who were unable to be present will require no urging to induce thing interfere with their attendance on Saturday night. Those who were present will require no urging to induce them to repeat such an experience.