Poor old Schumann! Of course he had no way of seeing Shostakovich coming when he wrote his quartets, and therefore didn't feel the need to overtly externalise the flamboyant, turbulent side of his nature in much of his music, especially in a medium which was generally regarded as a vehicle for expression of a reasonably circumspect provenance. True, he had Beethoven's magnificently virile example as a writer of quartets to refer to as exemplars of a more cosmic and elemental style and effect - but Schumann was no Beethoven, being a split personality far more seriously troubled by the demands...  Read More »

Who says piano recitals can't pack 'em in any more? True, if any pianist can here in Wellington, Michael Houstoun can, and especially so when the programme features the music of two composers whose spirit seems to exemplify music's Romantic Age. This concert was a celebration of the year 1810, during which both Chopin and Schumann were born, Michael Houstoun unexpectedly and cleverly drawing these otherwise disparate figures together by way of JS Bach, whose music both of these composers revered. So we were given Bach's celestial C Major Prelude from Book One of the Well-Tempered Clavier by way of...  Read More »

Cuba Street in Wellington is developing its own special character when it comes to galleries.Amongst my favourites are Cameron Drawbridge's South Coast Gallery the Fibre Art “Minerva” Gallery and the” Thistle” with its enterprising youthful exhibitions. All are worth visiting, all bring something special to the Wellington Art Scene. Is Cuba Street doing what our Wellington Gallery should be doing ? Although very small,  the Southcoast Gallery hosts a delightful exhibtion by the Wellington icon Grant Tilly. I have known Grant for ages - since our times at Wellington Teachers College, and illustrating children's stories for David Crewes'  “Merry-Go-Round” children's television...  Read More »

This early evening concert may have been one of the most looked forward to though its audience may have been reduced by the clash with the first of the two concerts by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Those present were richly rewarded. There was curiosity about the meaning of the name, and the best guess seemed to be the date of the concert, St Patrick’s Day. Philip Green is co-principal clarinet in the NZSO and he has also made a big contribution to chamber music since coming to New Zealand from Australia in 2002. The sound he produces is very beautiful – steady,...  Read More »

Can you cope with all these horns? the name of the group seems to ask.  Yes, when they are played as expertly as Ed Allen and Heather Thompson play them. The Beethoven sextet proved to be enchanting music, and being an early work, was rather unlike what we think of when we hear the composer’s name.  The playing was very expert, as one would expect from NZSO musicians.  There was warm tone from the strings; Lyndon Taylor, who led the group, impressed particularly as a very accomplished violinist. Four of the string players gave a lively yet sensitive performance of Schubert’s lovely...  Read More »