The first of the University of Otago's second semester Marama Hall lunch hour concerts was a wonderful recital.
The line-up was Cecilla Weinkauff, from the United States, a violinist who has played with many orchestras worldwide and began playing at the age of 3, Richard Belcher (New Zealand-United States) a cellist who moved from Christchurch in 1998 to study with Aldo Parisot at Yale University and in 1999 founded the Enso Quartet; and Tom McGrath, piano, the accompanist for the music department at the University of Otago.
Together each was a master of their instrument, but they also played beautifully together - each one listening and blending.
The first number, Beethoven's Piano Trio in B flat major (allegretto), was delightful.
This piece, written in one movement, was an excellent opening number and it showed the performers working as a team, listening to each other and playing impeccably, with the most wonderful rhythms.
Felix Mendelssohn's Lied Ohne Worte for Op.1O9 for cello and piano was next.
We mostly think that the songs without words are for piano but this used the full resonance of the cello.
Erwin Schulhopp was well known for his compositions of the 1920s and the 1930s. These display many influences including late romanticism, and the duo for violin and cello was truly spellbinding with the second movement full of Hungarian melodies and dance rhythms.
The final item was Schostakovich Piano Trio No.1 in C minor, and it is full of love and passion minor. This early work has the most beautiful melody and it is highly romantic.
It is written in one movement and each performer was superb, blending with each other to make one. In the prestissimo fantastico this was triumphant.
The programme was in chronological order - a good approach - through classical, romantic, late romantic and contemporary.