The Week's Music...

New Zealand Listener, Volume 34, Issue 877, 25 May 1956, Page 11

The Week's Music...

by

SEBASTIAN

SOMETIMES, unhéralded and practically unsting, we have 4 visit from an overseas artist of fine capabilities, and tune to his recitals almost by accident. Whether by accident ot design you hear the Australian violinist Ronald Woodcock, I think you'll agree that he is worth hearing: He played; with the Aléx Lindsay Orchestra (YE link) the Bach A Minor Concetto with 4 breadth that would do credit to any soloist, dnd ‘in the slow movement a feeling for the lovely melodic line that resulted in as yrical a sound as any I have heard. The orchestra, by no means a subsidiary element in this work, gave a_ wellbalanced support, at times lacking in contrast but entirely without those falsities of intonatidn that so often ruin a soloist’s best efforts. Mr. Woodcock was also heard associated with Janetta McStay in Some studio recitals (YC link), in which he proved his stérling qualities extended well beyond the rigotirs of Bach. In one programme of French music, the difficult. sonata of Debussy showed in a good light, with a kind, of moderated impressionism in. which the outlines remained clear, like a crystal bowl of opalescent liquid; and conveying its rippling and shimmering ideas as -only Debussy can. Poulenc’s Mouvements Perpetuels, graceful fragments that they

are, were entirely charming, played with | all the apparent wit of the composer: while Milhaud’s flarmboyantly South American "Ipanema" was a tour de force of rhythm-not to mention technique. I caught up on half a programme I had missed from-the National Orchestra: | the Prague Symphony of Mozart, given with considerable grace and finesse; and_ with. Richard Farrell at the piano, Ravel’s Concerto for the Left Hand. This latter sounded perhaps a little less assured, but its very nature, which SAvolits somewhat of the stunt or gimmick, must affect the judgment to some extent, however musical the setting within its sinister limitations. It’s hardly within my orbit to mentio talks, Bit I feél I niust trespass a little when it comes to H. W. French’s admirable talks én Sound and Music. (BBC), which, as the title implies, are based on the physical and acoustical aspects. I found these clearly put and enlightening, and especially approved of illustrations demonstrating the nature of tone colour, varying harmonics by electronically-produced sounds. We do tend to lose touch with the basic matter of any highly-developed art, and it takes a reminder such as this to bring to us in our ivory pinnacle an idea of its foundations and their importance.