The University of Otago music department's 2014 Wednesday lunchtime Showcase Concerts at Marama Hall began yesterday with a recital by the Rangitoto Trio (Amalia Hall, violin; Callum Hall, cello; and John-Paul Muir, piano).
Piano Trio in C minor Op 2, by Josef Suk (1874-1935) began the programme. The three movements of this very early chamber work (1889) by the Czech composer, who was a composition pupil of Dvorak, are intensely romantic.
The Allegro opened with resonating chords, which returned from time to time between delicate playful motifs.
Andante was highlighted by a folk dance theme, with tango-like ''dotted and tailed'' rhythms, and the final Allegro assai was a much busier movement, somewhat aggressive at times, but never losing touch with overall romantic expectations.
The Rangitoto Trio has played together for 12 years and fashion a beautiful lyrical ambience, serene and soothing, but they still maintain a definite individuality when traversing passages of personal instrumental prominence.
This was particularly noticeable in the second work, Piano Trio in A minor, by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), which was inspired by Basque folk dance music. Highlights, when the sheer lyrical beauty of a well-played string instrument delighted the senses, were integrated with strong assertive statements, especially in the first movement, Modere.
Pantoum - Assez vif was an energetic scherzo and trio with a spectacular final cadence.
The title Pantoum refers to a form of Malaysian poetry in vogue with French writers of the time.
A more subdued Passacaille - Tres large focused on variations of a strong melody, before Finale - Anime, with irregular rhythmic patterns in a busy persistent mix of ornamentation, harmonics and piano arpeggio ostinatos, ended the recital with a dramatic cadential flourish.
- Elizabeth Bouman.
Rangitoto Trio
Wednesday lunchtime concert
Marama Hall
