Team Effort In Sweet Music

The Age

Friday July 25, 2008

Clive O'Connell, Reviewer

TWILIGHT CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES 4

Team of Pianists. Rippon Lea Ballroom, July 20. www.teamofpianists.com.au

AT THE latest Team of Pianists recital, the workload fell into the capable hands of senior team member Darryl Coote, who moved smoothly from a Beethoven violin sonata to the Prokofiev Cello Sonata, then rounding off a busy night with the Smetana Trio in G minor: a solid night's output and, by and large, well accomplished. His colleagues were violinist Miwako Abe, one of Melbourne's better-known teachers and performers, and cellist Rohan de Korte, who has performed with the major symphony orchestras and worked at this city's senior academic institutions. In fact, for much of the first half of this event, Coote seemed to be keeping his powder dry, giving Abe plenty of exposure in the Beethoven Sonata No. 1 in D. During the opening Allegro, the violin's clear timbre dominated the mix, dangerously exposed at some points where the intonation slipped for an instant before moving back on to an even keel. Coote came into his own to better effect during the central theme and variations, but again banked down his forces for the final rondo.

During the eloquent Prokofiev sonata, de Korte also enjoyed primacy of dynamic with a powerful delivery, resonating in the Rippon Lea ballroom. The cellist's dedication and input were impressive in realising the open-hearted passion that permeates this composer's chamber music.

The trio chosen to end the program is very difficult for a one-time collaboration to manage, chiefly because the linear interplay chops and changes, so that what works in an opening statement has to be rethought when a theme is recapitulated, and the abrupt changes in the vital central movement with its two contrasting trios asks for a well-prepared responsiveness from all three executants.

This treading had impressive moments, but encountered problems, such as out-of-sync bars towards the end of the first movement and a smattering of imprecise attack points. Yes, the performance had plenty of spirit and was greeted with great approbation by the night's packed audience, but it succeeded best when the group was working on the less impassioned moments of this ardent and arduous score.

© 2008 The Age

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