Campus classical

On Friday 10th March at 1.10 pm. the Music Dept, held its weekly concert in the Memorial Theatre with 80 people in the audience. This week leading '77 students were featured in a variety of classical music performances.

Cathy Gibson (oboe) and Cathy Martin (piano) first played a sonata by Loeillet (1680-1730), a Belgian composer and wind performer who helped popularise the flute (a new instrument for the time) in England. The acoustics of the theatre gave a non-sonorous, ringing tone to the oboe. The piano accompaniment needed to be more definitive although Cathy was aiming for a harpsichord touch.

A song each by Haydn and Brahms was given by Dawn Bertenshaw (soprano) and Rachel Griffin (piano), the singer with a very easy delivery. Professional singers make one aware of their correct posture and implied highly strung temperament (singers are the most temperamental of musicians, pianists a close second) but this was not so here.

Six pieces for guitar written by Wellington's Prof. Douglass Lilburn by Kim Dyett. I reflected on the local professional, Milton Parker who played as a veritable Ganglion in his attempts to play a work beyond his ability. I hear he has improved now. Nothing could have contrasted more here with the easy, informal, relaxed presentation of melody with punctuating and cad-ential chords. The melody was clear-noted and an attractive, more metallic tone was achieved for the chords.

Simon Bates played 2 unilluminating preludes by the Russian Rachmaninoff. A translucent quality was succesfully achieved but the piece lacked openness

A surreal, pointillistic miniature written by Kim Dyett was played by Penny Dodd. Contrasts. I would like to see a longer set in the same vein. Non-indulgent. Illuminating.

Bach's Suite No. 5 by Bronwen Murray got better as it went along with ever more poise and precision. Belaboured at times though.

Electronic music, a feature of the Vic classical scene featured with an amusing, natural sound (as opposed to synthesized) piece by Michael Vinten. Two sections, the last of which ends or perhaps peters out in a much unfinished manner. I don't think it could be excused as open-ended. Otherwise strong and definitive. The humourous interrupted conversation between voice and flute was enjoyed by the audience: flute gives an anti-climactic answer to the dramatic voice phrase.

Rosemary Quin was beautifully inside the accompaniment to Michael Riddiford (baritone) in 2 songs by Hugo Wolf. The second song about a wandering minstrel was better conveyed in meaning than the heavier 'Secrecy' ('Leave O world, oh leave me be').

Rachel Griffin reappeared to play 'Prelude' by staff member Ross Harris. A concentration of motives in the upper register (piano) with grounding chords in the left hand.

Finally a very accomplished performance of 3 dance preludes by Lutoslawski (Polish). The music had presence and shape.

Elton June