Daniel Rowland, the acclaimed British violinist who is currently touring South Africa, gave a masterly recital in Grahamstown last week in a programme subtitled Love and Madness.
Daniel Rowland, the acclaimed British violinist who is currently touring South Africa, gave a masterly recital in Grahamstown last week in a programme subtitled Love and Madness.
Both were expressed with passion: tender in the romances by Clara Schumann, at times violent, particularly the first movement of the Kreuzer Sonata by Beethoven, and embracing every possible emotion in the Sonata in A Major by César Franck.
Throughout, Rowland’s absolute technical mastery of his instrument and his deep understanding of the music enabled him to communicate directly to his audience. The wizardry of the playing was never in the forefront, but it was always the means of expression – not only of unexpected insights into the intention of the composer – but also of the transforming power of the interpreter.
Rowland was fortunate in having Pieter Jacobs as his accompanist. Their partnership is fairly new although they have performed together on a previous tour. In the recital they collaborated with marvellous precision and with a common musical vision. Jacobs played the most difficult passages on an unfamiliar instrument with consummate ease and at times at a tempo slightly faster than generally adopted.
The staccato passages in the Schumann and the play between violin and piano in the Beethoven deserves particular mention. An appreciative audience was also treated to one movement of the solo violin sonata by Béla Bartok. This was a delightful contrast to the romantic body of the programme.
The music allowed Roland to introduce entirely different sounds and techniques. The unfamiliar tonal qualities produced were always related to a beautiful melody.
For this reviewer the performance awakened a desire to become acquainted with the remainder of the work. The St Andrew’s College Drill Hall provides a particular acoustic resonance that suited the genre and allowed the strong sound of the Cremonese violin, so strongly and sensitively played, to touch the very hearts of the audience.
Both performers praised the venue. The acoustics, the tiered seating and the lighting provides an intimate venue which for the performers, as well as for the audience, made this a most memorable occasion.
Both performers were also very pleased that schoolgoers were among the audience. This was perhaps the most stunning musical occasion that has ever happened in Grahamstown and certainly highlights the value of the Grahamstown Music Society, which organised it. We can only hope that the duo enjoyed their short visit sufficiently to return sometime in the future.
