This week’s Music at Lunchtime recital featured a thoughtful programme of works for violin and piano, performed by Elsa, accompanied by Head of Piano, Anne Bolt. The repertoire included pieces by Beethoven, Amy Beach, and Brahms, each offering a distinct musical perspective on the violin-piano partnership.
The recital opened with the first movement of Beethoven’s ‘Sonata for Violin and Piano in E-flat major, Op. 12 No. 3’, the final work in his first published set of violin sonatas. Beethoven’s writing gives prominence to the piano, with the violin acting as a conversational partner. Elsa and Ms Bolt captured this dialogue effectively, balancing the movement’s technical demands with a clear sense of musical interaction. Their performance highlighted the lively character of the Allegro, with crisp articulation and a thoughtful approach to the musical exchanges.
Amy Beach’s ‘Romance for Violin and Piano, Op. 23’, followed, offering a lyrical contrast. Written in 1893 for violinist Maud Powell, the piece reflects Beach’s melodic gift and harmonic richness. Elsa’s performance conveyed the work’s expressive range, from the simple opening melody to its more expansive passages. She handled the violin’s upper register with clarity, while the interplay between violin and piano was sensitively managed.
The recital concluded with Brahms’ ‘Sonatensatz’, the Scherzo movement from the collaborative F-A-E Sonata, composed in 1853 for violinist Joseph Joachim. Brahms’ contribution is bold and rhythmically driven, qualities Elsa brought out with assurance. The darker tones of the violin’s lower register were effectively contrasted with the more reflective central section, before the main theme returned with renewed energy.
Throughout the recital, Elsa demonstrated a clear understanding of each work’s character and structure. Her programme notes provided helpful insights into the historical and musical contexts, enhancing the audience’s appreciation of the performance.
The recording from this week’s concert is available online here.
Our next Music at Lunchtime recital will be on Wednesday 5 March 2025 and feature Form 5 pupil Alex with music for piano by Mendelssohn, Debussy, Ravel & Poulenc.
