Reviews

2010

The Bowral Autumn Music Festival is now four years old and for the second year in a row Yvette Goodchild has turned up trumps with an imaginative programme superbly executed. Saint Judes Church was once again the main venue. The theme this year was based on chamber music by Russian composers.

The success of the Festival was in no small way due to the presence of a superb Steinway concert grand piano generously supplied by Theme and Variations. Melbourne pianist Caroline Almonte, a new performer at the Festival, fell in love with the piano and produced a wonderfully wide range of colours and beautiful sounds, founded on an impeccable technique. This was amply demonstrated in a riveting performance of the Chopin’s fourth Ballade. Her playing of a selection of Bach’s Goldberg Variations was marked by an attention to detail clearly delineating the many contrapuntal and colouristic devices which abound in this work. There was a similar high level of playing in Ian Munro’s account of the Bach Sinfonias. But these two pianists are also fine ensemble players, as demonstrated in their performances of piano duets by Mozart and Rachmaninov. In more traditional “accompanying” roles Caroline added to the brilliance and élan of Paul Goodchild’s trumpet solos by Arutunian, Glazunov and Arensky while Ian was in perfect accord with Dene Olding in his playing of Rachmaninov’s Salon Pieces.

The opening concert on Friday afternoon began with a delightful performance of Shostakovich’s first String Quartet played by Dene Olding, Dimity Hall, (violins), Irina Morozova (viola) and Emma-Jane Murphy (‘cello). The music is full of wit and good humour which the players portrayed most convincingly.

The second work was in complete contrast. This was the unashamedly romantic Piano trio in D minor of Arensky. Although this was the second local performance within two weeks the music retained its appeal and freshness. Dimity Hall’s ability to produce and sustain a wonderfully tensile and full-toned melodic line immediately drew the listener in to Arensky’s melancholic first movement. Emma –Jane Murphy, always a responsive and nuanced player kept up the momentum throughout, while Caroline Almonte was a wholly sensitive ensemble player producing rich and colourful sounds from the piano and allowing the performance to be flexible and spontaneous.

The second concert on Friday night featured Tchaikovsky’s monumental Piano Trio with Dene Olding, Emma-Jane Murphy and Ian Munro. This is a very long and demanding work and all three players contributed fully to a magnificent performance.

On Saturday morning the venue switched, as usual, to the Mittagong Playhouse. The first work was a little known, unfinished viola sonata by Glinka. The first movement is full of romantic ardour. The restless, yearning quality of this music was most beautifully realised by Irina Morozova’s warm and vibrant playing and Ian Munro’s deft accompaniment. The gentle second movement was equally well played. And then came a real surprise – a quartet by Arensky for violin, viola and two ‘cellos. It is unlikely that any audience member had ever heard this work before. Irina was joined by Dimity Hall and ‘cellists Emma-Jane Murphy and Nathan Waks. In many ways, this was the most “Russian” piece of the whole festival, from the dark hymn-like opening to the triumphant “Slava” melody of the conclusion with a middle movement of ingenious variations on Tchaikovsky’s haunting “Crown of Roses”.

The Rachmaninov ‘Cello Sonata is an exciting and demanding work for both ‘cello and piano. Substituting for Julian Smiles Emma-Jane Murphy acquitted herself very well while Ian Munro coped easily with the piano part, never overwhelming the ‘cello. Yvette Goodchild, the Festival’s Musical Director joined the string players for Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence. The six strong individual voices coalesced in a wonderfully blended performance. The audience responded with overwhelming applause.

The Festival concluded with another Tchaikovsky work – his first String Quartet in D, generally regarded as his finest in this medium. We heard ensemble playing of the highest quality in a captivating performance.

Ian Cooper

Former Head of Music at Frensham

President of the Berrima District Music Group

Director of the Berrima Singers.