The trio of Alfred Pfleger (violin), Ilse Schumann (piano), and Anmari van der Westhuizen (cello), were joined at times by Janelle Visagie (soprano). The three ladies were local, in the sense that they were all trained in South Africa.
As one can see from the ensemble's name, the programme featured Viennese music, and the concert opened with the dashing Thunder and Lightening Polka by Johan Strauss Jr, which set the feet jiggling and the heads nodding.
Throughout the concert Alfred Pfleger gave us snippets of information about the pieces in German, ably translated by Ilse Schumann.
Given the vast variety of tempi associated with Viennese music I was very impressed with the harmonious cohesion of all the musicians as a group who listened to, and watched each other carefully, to produce the perfect whole. There was a certain impishness in the tempi of Johann Schrammel's Forever Vienna March and we were told that no self-respecting army could have marched to it. Dynamic control throughout was excellent especially in the waltzes and between the two stringed instruments. The piano was kept suitably under control when in its accompanying role.
Janelle Visagie has a big voice well suited to the singing of Viennese operettas, and she was not afraid to use it to soar to the upper registers with ease. It is difficult to get into a role with a single item from an opera or operetta but Visagie managed this very well especially in the coquettish Meine Lippen die küssen so heiss, by Lehár.
Brisk tempo
Part two opened with a very neat performance of the well-known Schön Rösmarin, and the brisk tempo of the Tritsch-Tratsch Polka left us in no doubt that the gossiping busybodies were at work. The concert ended with a sensitive rendition of the Blue Danube and, at last, we were able to appreciate the mellow tones of van der Westhuizen's cello. All in all, this was a very satisfactory concert and the audience went home humming happily. The next concert will be a treat, when there will be 12 cellists playing together, and I hope to see a full house again. It is the best way we have of saying thank you to the George Music Society.
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Sandra Tilbrook (centre) and Martha Avierinos (right), the two live wires of the George Music Society, were delighted at having the first concert of the year fully booked. With them (left is) Ruby Rolands seen at the George Music Society’s Strauss Concert.
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Hannah Barkhuysen and Mari Bands took part in the mask competition which formed part of the Strauss Concert held at the Arts Theatre.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: PAULINE LOURENS, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
