Wednesday, 14 October 2020

ONLINE MUSIC CONCERT REVIEW: Manchester Chamber Concerts Society present Tasmin Little and Martin Roscoe - The Stoller Hall, Manchester.


Are we all starved of the Arts, and fed up with not being able to go to theatres and concert halls? Yes of course we are, stop asking silly questions I hear you shout! And so, in a bid to 'bridge the gap', Manchester Chamber Concerts Society last evening produced a live streaming event performed live from Manchester's Stoller Hall, despite there being no actual audience in the building. 

The concert was in support of the charity 'Help Musicians', which, of course, during this time of crisis is much needed. You'll probably already have heard on the news that an estimated 64% of all professional musicians are either thinking of leaving or have already left the profession to find work elsewhere. Sad times indeed.

But before we get completely maudlin, let's go back to the excellent concert from last night. First and foremost it was a huge pleasure for me to be able to watch this - and imagine myself seated in the hall. I have seen Martin Roscoe perform several times and he is undoubtedly an excellent and sensitive pianist. I don't think I have had the pleasure of seeing Tasmin Little (violinist) on stage before, and so felt quite privileged to have seen this, as it was one of her last live performances before she retires. Both Roscoe and Little worked together excellently, it was almost as if they could anticipate each other's thought process. And their playing and even the choice of works, was lovely, complementary, and inspiring.

Yes, that's another thing. The programme consisted of four pieces, two of which were female composers, bravo. Starting with music by Robert Schumann's wife, Clara, and indeed music which we rarely if ever hear - it was certainly the first time hearing it for me! - they played 3 Romances (opus 22). Absolutely beautiful, and please can someone tell me why we don't have more Clara Schumann in the standard repertoire?! Next came the stalwart and dependable, Ludwig Van Beethoven, and the most substantial piece of the evening, his Sonata no 5 in F "Spring". After the interval, it was the turn of American composer Amy Beach, whose music is familiar to me, although not the piece this duo chose to play; again a Romance for violin and piano, and again, truly beautiful. The pair finished the concert with again an old favourite, Cesar Franck's Sonata in A.

Brilliant playing, great choice of pieces, and so wonderful to hear 'live' music again, even if it had to be through a computer screen! I'm keeping not just my fingers but everything crossed for a safe and soon return to the old normal. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 13/10/20

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