Tasmin Little and Wayne Marshall at The National Concert Hall

national | arts and media | news report

Thursday May 19, 2005 16:19

by Sean Crudden - impero

sean at impero dot iol dot ie

Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth.

087 9739945

An Object Lesson in Performance

Tasmin Little (violin) was accompanied last night in The National Concert Hall by Wayne Marshall (piano).

"I met with Napper Tandy and he took me by the hand.
He said ‘How is old Ireland and how does she stand?’
‘It’s the most disgraceful country you have ever seen.
They’re hanging men and women for the wearing of the green.’"

Tasmin Little wore emerald sparkling green in the National Concert Hall last night. Her gown was string shouldered and body hugging. She wore, in contrast, patent black, sling-backed medium high-heels. Wayne Marshall, her accompanist, was clad in black - his "top" a simple long-sleeved polo-neck type of shirt. I think that red and black are the anarchist’s colours. Black and green seem to me to stand also for something - the combination of colours will certainly live on in my mind as standing for last night’s concert in NCH. The performers were obviously in good form, relaxed, and they made themselves at home. There was no untoward demonstration of this but they - especially Tasmin - were acutely aware of their audience and the audience were sympathetic and receptive. You have to balance this against the fact that there were quite a few empty seats throughout the body of the hall and especially in the main gallery.

Wayne Marshall was a study in himself. He displayed all his race’s characteristic natural affinity with music. His playing was full of weight, buoyancy and point - like a big man with a very light step. Looking down on him from my seat in the choir balcony it was clearly obvious how much he played with his ears. When he played solo - an improvisation on the tune of "Danny Boy" - he held the audience in the palm of his hand.

Tasmin Little bowed many very beautiful notes. And her connection with the audience was sweet. After a pipe-opener by Kreisler she played three full sonatas (Bach, Grieg, Prokofiev) and finished up with a number of very pleasing concoctions of tunes such as "Begin the Beguine," "Summertime" and "Who Could Ask for Anything More." When I was young when we enquired off our friends how good a sweet was an important part of the question was, "has it lasting in it?" Well this concert lasted including a break from 8.00 p.m. till 10.20 p.m. - a generous helping of music out of the top drawer. More than that it is impossible for me to quantify the substance and worth of the concert.

I read in the program that the music building in The University of Bradford has been named "The Tasmin Little Music Centre." It is no wonder.

Comments (1 of 1)

"He taught them in their synagogue." Matthew 13.54

Fri Oct 08, 2010 14:59

Well I reached Connolly Station at 09.00 yesterday on The Enterprise which I caught in Clarke Station, Dundalk, when It pulled up on its way from Belfast. I spent the morning in the bowels of Wood Quay civic offices at an Amnesty International launch of some "research" on discrimination and stigma of the mentally ill. Aisling joined me for lunch in The Lotts near the Halfpenny Bridge. I ate a fine steak and chips and drank a glass of wine. For the rest of the day I stuck to water, coffee, soup, tea, bread. Anyway a few diversions worked out fine for me in the afternoon and I met my son, my sister, my daughter-in-law, my grandson before I got to The National Concert Hall at 07.00. Another punter (from Portlaoise) engaged me in witty conversation about politics, history, diplomacy, family relations, music. So even though I was early I barely had time to look through the program.

Tasmin Little told us from the stage that she loved playing in this concert hall. The feeling is mutual. I get a great kick out of seeing her and I am a total mug where Tasmin is concerned. She filled out a body-hugging floor length sparkling green gown in all the right places. Her glowing emerald large stoned necklace was full and generous. Her dark hair was styled with volume and length. There was sparkling ice visible on the backs and heels of her black high heeled shoes. Again I noticed her hands, one of the seven wonders of today's world, shapely competent lively. Her manner was relaxed quotidian vivacious sincere engaging. She stayed nicely "in the moment." Certainly one did not get the impression she was worrying about where the spuds were coming from for tomorrow's dinner. Her accompanist, pianist John Lenehan, kept a "loose" posture even though he was clothed exquisitely in the most modern formality in black. He appeared confident, tolerant, amused almost.

The tone of Tasmin's Stradivarius (one she has on loan) was soothing so my concentration was not always pin sharp. However there was an edge to it where an edge was necessary. And one could not help noticing quite a few fragile sustained notes bowed by Tasmin with exquisite pitch and lovely shape. The recital slipped by swiftly and the two players did not strive to impose anything. The audience was quiet and receptive but there was not much evidence of a hunger for music and the performers seemed to be content to keep things at that level.

Two thoughts struck me this morning as I rode The Enterprise back to Dundalk.

Tasmin Little is a born teacher. Her aim in this concert, I think, was didactic. She taught something last night just as important as it is difficult to define. Different styles of music. Stradivarius. Presentation. Manner. Dress. Professionalism. Tolerance. All done without angst and apparently without any effort.

Hearing the tone of the Stradivarius in these hands over its full range in this recital would benefit every aspiring orthodox singer. The one thing every golfer would like to be able to do is to drive the ball long and straight. As singers we often strive for dramatic effect or concentrate on conveying emotion. But the one thing every orthodox singer would like to be able to do is to produce a smooth rich creamy tone. I need not explain the point further.

Before I conclude permit me to be a little tendentious.

It is a myth that people are taught in school. Or rather the wrong people are taught the wrong things. The right people are taught nothing. Usually.

"Partners in Time"

Program

Kreisler
Praeludium and Allegro

Bach
Sonata in E major

Mozart
Sonata No. 17 in C major

INTERVAL

Grieg
Sonata No. 2 in G major

Tchaikovsky
Melodie from Souvenir d'un lieu cher

Bartok
Six Romanian Dances

Encore
Fantasy on a czardas