BRILLIANT RECITALIST

Evening Star, Issue 22450, 22 September 1936, Page 6

BRILLIANT RECITALIST

EILEEN JOYCE'S GIFT PUBLIC BROADCASTING CONCERT Apart from providing a variety of ordinary entertainment daily, the National Broadcasting Service is gradually fulfilling a function that was once considered only the right of impresarios. It is ever active in its search for better 'artists, and when it has found them it has in recent years granted the general public, whether they are regular radio listeners or not, the privilege of hearing their touring performers by the arranging of platform concerts. But not until last night in the Town Hall did) the service have the pleasure of presenting publicly an artist who has rightfully been placed in the front rank of the world’s pianists by England’s leading critics. Eileen Joyce is that pianist, and her visit to Dunedin must be recognised as an honour and one that automatically contributes in large measure to the musical history of the city. To say that Eileen Joyce was accorded ft warm reception is to state the case mildly—Dunedin’s true music lovers absolutely acclaimed her tumultuously. The applause that greeted her first appearance on the stage was sufficient to demonstrate the audience’s recognition of the authentic character of the reputation that preceded her visit. A severe test of skill for all those who collaborated, Cesar Franck’s 1 Symphonic Variations ’ was her first number, it being played with the assistance of the 4YA Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Gil Dech. There is a good deal of scope for a specialist in this work, which was well suited to Miss Joyce’s nimble fingers and unfaltering touch. The execution of the successive moods of the work was fresh and charming, and the accompanying instruments never obtruded, but always fitted in sympathetically. The performance as a whole was one that will not easily evade the memory of the 2,000 attentive listeners. The applause was prolonged, and it was indeed an unselfish thought that prompted the young pianist to invite the conductor and the members of the orchestra to share in the bredit.

When she later appeared Miss Joyce charmed with her clear, rippling interpretation of the decorative ‘ Arabesque ’ (Schumann). Then came tho more forceful ‘ Ballade in G Minor ’ (Chopin), which was given very definite phrasing. The audience would not allow her to retire, so she gave a highly intelligent rendition of the tuneful * Gavotte ’ (Boyce) as an encore. This was insufficient to appease the desire of her hearers for more, and she accordingly obliged with ‘ Widmung ’ (Schumann-Liszt), and concluded her recital with the extremely smoothtonedi ‘ Reflections in the Water ’ (Debussy). In every case a brightly attractive performance was achieved with ease.

The concert also marked the first appearance of the newly-formed 4YA Symphony Orchestra, which, in addition to playing with the solo pianist, was heard in a short programme of its own. This body of executants has been well trained by Gil Dech, whose influence was apparent in both the individual and corporate efforts. Grouped at the opening of the programme were ‘ Children’s Overture ’ (Quilter) and ‘ Tarantelle ’ from the ‘ London Everyday Suite ’ (Coates), both of which were expressively defined. The familiar airs of the ballet music from ‘ Faust ’ (Gounod) were particularly colourful, while the equally well-known ‘ Nell Gwynn Dances ’ (German) were artistically interpreted. The possibilities open to the performers, were treated with discernment, and the conductor’s readings were thoughtful and accurate at all times.

Only one vocalist took part in the programme. Wilfred Kershaw’s bass was first used in the famous ‘ Prologue ’ to ‘ Pagliacci ’ (Leoncavello), which had the proper orchestral colouring. While the singer gave a fair rendition of this introductory aria to the opera, one could not but feel that he would have been more expressive in some other choice written for a bass, not baritone. Another operatic aria, ‘ Song of the Cloak ’ from ‘La Boheme ’ (Puccini) was his encore, while later he sang the Brahms- ‘ln a Churchyard ’ and the more spirited ‘The Blacksmith’ (Koenemann), finishing with the recall ‘ Father O’Flynn ’ (Stanford). His accompaniments were played by the 4YA pianist, Mrs Drake.