Orion Duo

louth | arts and media | news report

Sunday November 14, 2004 20:40

by Sean Crudden

sean.crudden at iol dot ie

Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth.

087 9739945

Recital at Holy Trinity Centre

The recital in Holy Trinity Church by the duo was satisfying and persuasive - but was witnessed by too few people.

King John's Castle, Carlingford, on Poppy Day

Christopher Blake (piano) and Ruth Bebb (viola and violin) call themselves "Orion Duo." Both English, living in Belfast and members of the Ulster Orchestra, they have been playing together for five years.

Their recital at Holy Trinity Heritage Centre featured the following program:

Dvorak: Sonatina op. 100 for violin and piano
Dvorak: 4 Romantic Pieces op. 75
Brahms: Scherzo for violin and piano

INTERVAL

Brahms: Sonata for viola and piano op. 120 no.2

The encore was a piece by Schumann for piano and viola.

The music was linked together by spoken dialogue and description of the composers and some of the events of their lives. They were very together in this effort (which is a novel feature of a recital like this) and the male and female voices complimented each other nicely and made an appealing sound.

In their playing they were quite successful advocates of the music of these three composers and the idiom of character of each of the composers was represented quite comprehensively. The final notes of many of the movements demonstrated a high degree of unanimity and timing.

For me the really killer music was the sweet melancholy of the Schumann piece which was richly rendered. The first of the "Romantic Pieces" caught my attention in a big way and I will be searching the piece out on c.d. to renew the piece and keep it in my memory. Brahms always satisfies the appetite and the piano sounded full and tuneful throughout in this music. We all know that the viola is somewhere between the violins and the cellos in the orchestra but the educated performance by Ruth Bebb hammered home the smoky individuality of the instrument.

Is there a lesson to be learned from the fact that we heard two English musicians interpreting the music of two great 19th century German composers in Carlingford on Poppy Day 2004?

Holy Trinity Church, Carlingford.

Chris Blake and Ruth Bebb with (seated) Michael Harris-Barke, Chairman of Carlingford Heritage Trust.

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Comments (4 of 4)

I say

by old bean

Mon Sep 12, 2005 23:40

Major Harris Blake , what what . Looking resplendent , with his poppy . I knew a chap called Harris-Blake once , in the Punjab ...or was it Poona ? Got eaten by tiger ..poor chap .
Went to Harrow , played centre prop . Or was it Eton ? No...he got eaten...by a tiger. Anyway I was very , very , vwery drunk at the time .

exactly the type of building which ought be put to sagicious public use.

by ;-)

Sun Sep 11, 2005 23:14

;-) and its on high ground too.

Return

by Sean

Sun Sep 11, 2005 20:19

The Orion Duo returned to Carlingford Heritage Centre to present a concert "Mostly Mozart" at 4.00 p.m. on a balmy early Autumn day 11 September 2005. Lovely music in the Cooley Peninsula - a place at peace with itself. At the same time it is impossible to forget the multitudes who have been unnecessarily dashed into eternity then and since the Twin Towers disaster which occurred four years ago on this day.

Program

Mozart

Sonata in B flat K454

Largo/Allegro
Andante
Allegretto

Beethoven

Variations on a theme by Mozart

INTERVAL

Mozart

Sonata in E minor K304

Allegro
Tempo di Menuetto

Schumann

"Marschenbuilder" Op 113

4 Pieces for viola and piano

The encore was Brahms’ most famous Hungarian dance arranged for viola and piano. The Beethoven work featured piano and viola.

The concert went very well and the piano sounded very bright.

The calendar throws up two coincidences next year which is the 150th anniversary of Schumann’s death and also the 250th anniversary of the birth of Mozart.

The performers interspersed the program with narrative which was piquant and interesting and dialogue relating to the lives of Mozart and Schumann. Sounded good and gave an added dimension to the music.

Recital Carlingford Co Louth

by Liam Sheppard

Mon Nov 15, 2004 11:30

There is a lack of interest in classical music in Carlingford as many in the peninsula have a poor understing of music. Myself and Marian are accomplished musicians on violin and piano respectively but cannot come to the area for certain reasons. However there is need for children to be taught music in more depth in the schools. I wonder how can this be achieved when most appointments are made by who you know rather then what you know? Or how great you are with the clergy etc?

Liam

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Comments (4 of 4)