LAURIAN CLUB RECITAL

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24897, 10 June 1946, Page 3

LAURIAN CLUB RECITAL

HIGH STANDARD FULLY MAINTAINED Ln recess since 1941, the Laurian Club gave its first concert of the 1948 season, in the Radiant Hall on Saturday evening. This string orchestra has, in the past, given many most enjoyable performances, and it is a great pleasure to welcome it again to the list of active musical bodies in Christchurch. There was ample evidence on Saturday evening that much hard work had been contributed by all the members to ensure that this first performance, after a lapse of five years, in no way lowered the standard which the Laurian Club has always maintained. In a delightfully diversified programme, they proved that they were fully capable of sustaining all demands made on them, and now require only that final gloss which further working together will bring. As conductor. Mr M. T. Dixon was largely responsible for the splendid playing which the orchestra contributed during the evening. The malleable body of tone produced, and the sure musicianly instinct with which it was used are evidence that in Mr Dixon the Laurian Club has a conductor wityi all the qualifications for the task in hand. The three orchestral works which were played were the Handel “Concerto Grosso," Op. 6. No. 9. the "English Suite” of Parry, and the "Capriol Suite for Strings,” of Peter Warlock. The Handel “Concerto Grosso” is for three soloists accompanied by string orchestra. As soloists. Reginald Sutton and Margaret Sicely (violins) and Valmai Moffett (’cello) played this charming music with that necessary delineation which enabled all entries to be clearly followed. As an opening to the programme this was a happy choice. The English Suite of Parry produced some delightful playing. The tone in the opening of the "Sarabond” was most beautifully balanced. and the whole suite, music as English as its name, received a most understanding performance. The “Capriol Suite” of Peter Warlock is also music in a typically English idiom, enlivened by those enjoyably astringent harmonic touches which are so outstanding a' feature of Warlock's style. This suite, founded on Elizabethan dance tunes, is always a delight to listen to.

In contrast to these larger works, the Trio Serenade Op. 87, of Beethoven. was performed by Lesley Arfderson (violin), Eva Christeller (viplin). and Valmai Moffett (’cello). Tre Adagio of this trio, in particular, was outstandingly good, the beautifully balanced writing receiving full measure, both in quality of tone and nicety of phrase.

As instrumental soloist, Ernest Jenner chose a bracket by English composers: “In a May Morning” (John Ireland) and “Variations on a Theme by Schumann” (Maurice Jacobsen). Mr Jenner is a pianist whose great command of keyboard technique is applied to its true purpose: that of truly expressing what the music has to say and eschewing showy and superficial effects. Both numbers received masterly treatment at his hands, and his I encore—“ Welsh Rustic Dance.” by Bjadyn Jones—proved a captivating morsel. The vocal soloist was the Rev. Walter Robinson. Possessed of a baritone voice of true beauty and quality, he showed in all his numbers that it is allied to a sensitive musical intelligence. Most ably aided throughout by Althea Harley Slack, as accompanist, he sang, in the first half of the programme. nine songs from the song cycle “Dichterliebe,” of Schumann, and. in the second half, the Vaughan Williams’s “Songs of Travel.” In his last group his excellent sense of phrasing . was specially noticeable. The accompaniment in the number “Youth and Love” was beautifully played. In this " *

In « programme the Laiirian Club has made a most successful start to it* 1946 season.