Comfy live performance performed with nice talent

Music / “The Whitworth Roach Recital”, Kirsten Williams and Marie Searles. On the Larry Sitsky Recital Room, September 30. Reviewed by GRAHAM McDONALD.

“THE Whitworth Roach Recital” is part of the Whitworth Roach Classical Music Efficiency Competitors, which gives substantial money prizes for a classical music recital by an ANU pupil.

The competitors is supported by Catherine Roach, with heats held this previous week and the most effective 4 performing in a closing live performance this coming Thursday. It’s not clear the place the recital matches into the competitors, although maybe it’s seen as an illustration of how a classical music recital ought to be deliberate and executed.

Violinist Kirsten Williams and pianist Marie Searles offered a diversified program of an hour’s music for this recital. Topped and tailed by music of the 2 Schumanns, this system opened with a Romance by Clara and closed with the Sonata No.1 in A minor by Robert. In between have been two fairly completely different works, neither of which might have been eligible for efficiency within the Whitworth Roach Competitors, which proscribes music written after 1910.

The primary was a brand new work by Australian composer Cyrus Meurant, a solo violin sonata, written for Kirsten Williams and premiered just a few months in the past in Sydney. This was its second efficiency and a most pleasurable piece of music. Trendy, but approachable with some technically difficult sections and powerful recommendations of Irish fiddle method in repeated melodic patterns and the construction of the primary and final of the 4 actions. The final motion particularly had the texture of an Irish reel taken a number of steps previous what a fiddler might or would do.

Meurant’s work was adopted by two quick works by French composer Lili Boulanger, the youthful sister of famous music trainer Nadia Boulanger, however who died aged solely 24 in 1918.  Each these items are most tasty and the Williams/ Searles duo introduced them to life.

This was a recital achieved with a excessive diploma of musical talent, but saved snug and welcoming with enthusiastically informal and informative introductions to every work from Wiiliams. Whereas we did hear some background to every composer and the work, it might have been attention-grabbing to listen to of the considering behind the choice and construction of the recital. This can be a minor level, however I used to be reminded of feedback made through the Miriam Allan and Erin Helyard live performance a few weeks in the past the place they have been fairly forthright about their live performance being made up of works they loved performing.