A perfect concert begins in the minds, fingers and hearts of the performers years before the event and then presents itself as a polished jewel to the audience.
A perfect concert begins in the minds, fingers and hearts of the performers years before the event and then presents itself as a polished jewel to the audience.
The Grahamstown Music Society was privileged to enjoy just such an event at the St Andrew’s College Drill Hall last Thursday.
One takes technical preparation for granted, and in this respect Italian siblings Barbara, Giada and Klaus Broz were all flawless.
What was even more apparent was the thought and hard work the Trio had undertaken in the understanding of the works. This was apparent at every level.
Each note, its rise and fall, played its part in each phrase, which in turn completed the structure of the whole. Each voice was aware at all times of the other two, whether stating, answering or complementing. Furthermore, each work found its appropriate place in the whole concert.
The diversity of programme was met with the appropriate quality of sound.
The classical Schubert was played with delicacy (Satz Trio D417); the Beethoven more vigorously (Trio Op 9 No 1); the Sibelius with bold passion (Trio in G minor); and the contemporary Bacalov alternating between harsh and cutting, even violent, cries, and weeping prayer (Trio per Archi).
Then in answer to the request for more, the audience was not given the usual little encore to bid good night, but the second movement of a Trio by Villa-Lobos, which in itself showed how a theme could be accompanied by the other two instruments in different ways and with different effects.
Particularly interesting was the harp-like arpeggio accompaniment of the viola by the violin and cello. This was no mere encore, but the perfect place to rest after the Bacalov.
Afterwards the Trio expressed their delight in the acoustic of the Drill Hall. They were able to vary their dynamics in a manner not always possible, and especially they were able to play pianissimo with utmost clarity.
The result was a triumph in which the musical conception of the performers was communicated to the audience.
Several very knowledgeable members of the audience considered this to be one of the best concerts they had ever been privileged to attend.
