GEORGE NEWS - On Sunday afternoon, a decent size audience settled down in the Dotsure George Arts Theatre to listen to a programme of saxophone and piano music presented by Jonathan Radford and Cezarre Strydom, and what a privilege this turned out to be.
Radford is a world renowned saxophonist who is in demand as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.
His accompanist on this occasion was the Namibian-born, American-trained pianist Cezarre Strydom, who is presently residing and teaching in Paarl.
The programme opened with a startling shriek as the musicians launched into a transcription from the original violin to soprano saxophone of Tomasi Vitali's Chaconne in G minor.
This work consists of many modulations into a variety of keys - not always related to the original, that required some dazzling fingerwork from Radford.
This was followed by Dancing Shadows, a piece by the young British composer and orchestrator Dani Howard. Here we could almost see the shadows flitting through the sunlight. In places it was dark and sombre and in others, almost playful.
The Frenchman Darius Milhaud wrote a work in three movements for two pianos that has, over the years, been transcribed for different soloists and orchestra or piano accompaniment. It was originally written as incidental music for two plays.
It is an exciting work that opens with a mixture of folk songs, nursery rhymes and complex rhythms. The second movement is a lovely, dreamy piece where the tunes are passed between the two instruments over a seemingly 'lazy' accompaniment. These give way to an exciting Brazilian samba that ends with a flourish.
Unfortunately, compulsive clappers ruined the atmosphere and mood that the performers had carefully set up, applauding vociferously between movements.
Claude Debussy originally wrote Rhapsodie as a piece for clarinet students to play for their examinations at the Conservatoire de Paris. It has a dreamy opening that gives way to a quirky second section that works its way to a frenetic end. This was a masterful performance that left the audience breathless.
The French composer Paule Maurice wrote a suite of five pieces describing the culture and scenery of Provence while she and her husband were there on holiday. The first depicts young girls dancing a lively Farandole. This is followed by a love song and a robust Gypsy woman. A dreamy fourth movement precedes the final twirling, stamping finale. This was a lovely work and the musicians clearly enjoyed working together to perform it.
The concert ended with Pablo Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen or Gypsy airs. The moods here range from a whirling dance, seduction, playfulness and dreamy to a hectic final dance that gets faster and faster, ending in an exhausted flourish.
It fully deserved the healthy ovation that it received. But we were not done yet, as we were treated to a lovely, gentle song-like encore.
Both Radford and Strydom are very fine instrumentalists who clearly understand each other and enjoy what they are doing. I hope that this is not the last time we hear them.
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