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| Kathryn Selby |
Beethoven’s Back; Llewellyn Hall 7.30pm Thursday October 31st.
Review: Jennifer Gall
ANDREW Haveron, violin and Richard Narroway, Cello, joined
Kathryn Selby to perform three Beethoven chamber works at the Llewellyn Hall.
There is always no doubt that Selby is well loved by the large audience of
loyal patrons and it is clear that her musical tours are an essential part of
Canberra’s musical life.
If I had to choose one word to describe the mood of the
repertoire for this concert, it would be equanimity. While there were plenty of
the dramatic dynamic contrasts and striking emotional explorations that are the
hallmarks of Beethoven’s music, each work resolved to leave the listener in a
state of calm composure. My one reservation was that the volume of the piano
interfered with the balance between instruments, occasionally suggesting that
the nuances in the cello and violin voices were compromised. The Llewellyn Hall
Steinway is an assertive animal that will maintain the clarity of articulation
and depth of tone with the lid lowered.
The Sonata for Cello and Piano in C major, Op.102 No.1
composed in 1815 opened the concert and introduced the clean, precise grace of
Narroway’s cello performance. Beginning with the opening theme clothed in a
reverie, the Andante proceeded in an intimate, languorous conversation
between piano and cello which was abruptly terminated by the startling Allegro
Vivace, like a lover’s quarrel. In the second movement, once again, a slow,
serious introduction developed the duet of piano and cello with more florid
passages, tangling and separating to return in unison to the opening theme of
the Andante. With the entry of the Allegro Vivace, a playful
chase ensued as the instruments mimicked the emotional games of youthful
lovers.
1802 was the momentous year in which Beethoven was ordered
to rest in Heiligenstadt in an attempt to rest and stop advancing deafness. The
Sonata for Violin and Piano No.7 in C minor, Op.30 No. 2 channels despair into
creativity with exciting complexity of form. Contrasting a taut central theme
with a march-like motif, the opening Allegro develops, stretches and
distorts these themes dramatically and Haveron’s skilled interpretation
highlighted the conflicting energies in this movement. Selby and Haveron
created a particularly lyrical beauty in their performance of the Adagio
cantabile, building the hymn-like melody into a sinuous intertwining duet.
The succeeding two movements consolidated the close partnership and closed
dramatically in the Finale Allegro.
A nice balance of instrument voices characterised the first
movement of the Piano Trio in E flat major, Op. 70 No.2. Cello and violin were
synchronised elegantly in the Allegretto. As the Trio unfolded, I had an
image in the mind’s eye of the music describing a good humoured conversation
amongst friends - or perhaps Beethoven in conversation with
Hayden as some musicologists have suggested. Either way, this evening of
Beethoven’s chamber music brought the composer to life with distinctive Selby
and Friends flair.
