PIANO RECITAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 136, 6 December 1938, Page 4

PIANO RECITAL

MISS CORLISS'S PUPILS

Nearly forty pianoforte pieces played on end in quick succession. In some circumstances and with some performers that might be too much of a good thing. But it certainly was not last night when in the Town Hall Concert Chamber Miss Valeric Corliss presented six of her mere advanced adult pupils in a recital It was they who provided this gargantuan programme, which, however, was not a bit too long, the audience thoroughly enjoying every item and being quite ready to hear more. Each of the six players showed fluent technical ability and interpretative powers, and each had his or her marked individuality. If any one of the six is to be singled out for special praise it must be Mr. Lionel Harris, but all were good and the recital was one of the most enjoyable heard for a long time. The lengthy programme was divided more or less into groups—classical, pot-so-classicaj, and distinctly modern, with a feature of items for two pianos. Miss Kate Jourdain played with marked sensitivity and feeling Chopin's ''Impromptu in G Flat Major," Liadoff's "Barcarolle," Stanford's "Ballade," and Debussy's "Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum." More dynamic in their playing were Miss Isa Anderson and Miss Dorothy La Roche. The former contributed Scarlatti's "Clavierstrucke in G Major,"' Bach's "Comante," a Brahms "Intermezzo," a Chopin ••Waltz," two little gems by Leo Livens, Felix Swinstead's "En Courante," and Poldini's "Idyll." Miss La Roche played a Brahms "Intermezzo," Scriabine's "Mazurka," "The Maiden with the Daffodil" (Arnold Bax), "Spanish Dance" by Manuel De Falla, and Debussy's "Minstrels." Mr. Lionel Harris delighted the audience with his polished playing of Schumann's "Novelette in E Major," three studies by Chopin, Medtner's "Danza Festiva," "Fireflies" (Frank Bridge). Suave and polished 100 was Mr. Brian McMillan, who contributed Rachmaninoff's "Humoresque," Moeran's "Bank Holiday," "Malaguena" (Albemz), and "Tango" by the same composer. Dr. Arthur Fieldhouse played Szymanowski's "Prelude," Pitfield's "Prelude and Reel," and Debussy's "La Puerta del Vino (Habenera)." The two-piano numbers were "With Laughter and Joy" from Bach's "Peasant Cantata' (Miss La Roche and Mr. Harris), Bach's "Organ Fugue in G," arranged by Cyril Scott (Mr. McMillan and Dr. Fieldhouse), Arensky's "La Danseuse" (Miss La Roche and Mr. McMillan), Germaine Tailleferre's "La Tirelitentaine" (Dr. Fieldhouse and Mr. McMillan), Debussy's "Ballet" (Miss La Roche and Mr. Harris), and Manuel Infante's "Gracia" (Dr. Fieldhouse and Mr. Harris).