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Saturday 23 June at The Rose Historic Chapel. Reviewed by David Smith Jane’s programme had a strong ethnic content from the opening arrangements by David Russell of three Celtic Pieces to Dusan Bogdanovic’s Six Balkan Miniatures and the Cancion y Danza by Ruiz Pipo. The latter pieces demonstrated Jane’s ability to maintain a rhythmic flow while exploring a wide range of dynamics and tone colour which was one of the overriding features of the concert. The opening Celtic pieces, Spatter the Dew, Niel Gow’s Lament and The Bucks of Oranmore, also revealed these features and set the concert off with toe tapping momentum. The miniatures by Bogdanovic were just that but each with a distinct character. Offsetting these pieces was Dionisio Aguado’s Introduction and Rondo in Am proving to be the most substantial work on the programme. Melodic work was shaped and expressed very succinctly supported by florid arpeggio figures. The items by Roland Dyens (the arrangements El Choclo and L’Hymne a l’Amour and the four movement suite Hommage a Villa Lobos) were clearly favourites of the performer and this affinity with them came through to the audience. Villa Lobos resided in Paris during the 1920’s and incorporated aspects of French impressionism into his work and this seemed to be the inspiration for Dyen’s homage rather than the more familiar guitar works. Over the past eighteen months three of New Zealand’s top guitarists have performed in Christchurch to disappointingly small audiences. Given the very cold winter conditions for Jane’s concert there was perhaps some excuse. The Rose Historic Chapel is still on trial as a suitable venue for small intimate concerts. There are issues with heating, lighting and the backstage facilities which will need to be resolved. Under these conditions it was remarkable that Jane was able to give such a polished performance. The warmth and friendliness of her personality helped to draw ones senses away from the temporal elements. Fortunately for the performer the informality of the occasion allowed her to wrap up in warmer clothing for the second half. One further comment regarding this programme needs to be made. While it is interesting to hear different interpretations of works it happened that 90% of the pieces presented had been played in concerts here within the last two years. There is a case for touring artists to do some research of what has gone before. This is one area that the Society’s web site should be able to assist with. |
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