PIANOFORTE RECITALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21977, 12 June 1933, Page 2

PIANOFORTE RECITALS

MADAME CHRISTINE RAWLINGS Two pianoforte recitals which were worthy of the attention of all interested in this instrument were given in Begg’s concert chamber on Saturday afternoop and evening by Madame Christine Rawlings, a pianist who comes to New Zealand with a European reputation. Her programmes were both lengthy ones and the items chosen were representative of various schools of music. Her afternoon programme was more particularly for younger students of music and Madame Rawlings not only delighted her listeners with her playing but also interested them with some brief talks on the numbers which she played. Taking Debussy’s “Claire de Lune,” “ Moonlight Sonata ” and several typical Chopin numbers, Madame Rawlings illustrated the interpretation which should be accorded these selections. There was a good attendance of students, who undoubtedly derived benefit from the helpful talks.

Several items on the evening’s programme were outstanding. These included Liszt’s Concerto in E flat, Chopin’s C minor etude, and Schumann’s beautiful etudes symphoniques. Each of these might well be described as a work to tax \ the ability of the best of players, and it is not too much to say that Madame Rawlings proved herself capable of mastering the intricacies of each In a manner which showed her to be an artist of no small versatility. The programme as a whole provided a feast of music delightfully interpreted by a master of technique. Probably the Liszt number stood out as the most colourful, but the double rolling arpeggios in the Chopin Etude gave the player an even greater opportunity for displaying her talent. Other Chopin numbers were the Prelude in O minor and Etude in A flat major, a mazurka, another prelude, and a polonaise, all of which were given the artistic treatment which is called for. A movement from a Beethoven Sonata was delightfully rendered, as -was Moszkowski’s Etude d’oetaves, which offered little difficulty to the pianist. A by Scriabin was an extremely melodious little study, Madame Rawlings giving it an interpretation which delighted her hearers. Handel’s Sarabandc offered n contrast to an item listed on the programme as “ Five Little Schumanns, which proved to he a collection of attractive musical sketches. A movement from Brahms’s B flat Concerto was also dealt with in a masterly fashion. The concert was concluded with an Allegro de Concert by Cepriani Potter. Throughout an exacting programme Madame Rawlings was ,never at faqlt and there will be many who will regret being unable to have a further opportunity of hearing her.' Miss M‘Dowel.l assisted at the second piano