THIS latest recital in Harrogate’s Spring Sunday Series drew another large crowd to see these internationally renowned musicians.

They began in grand style with Tartini’s Devil’s Trill Sonata, a more varied piece than I remembered, leading up to the dramatic and effective trill in the last movement.

Here and throughout, the violin had a particularly rich sound beautifully complemented by Vignoles’ piano.

Though advised of this by Sitkovetsky, only at the end of the programme was the rest of the concert an Homage to violinist and composer Fritz Kreisler who recorded the next two pieces with Rachmaninov and wrote or arranged the rest.

Grieg’s Violin Sonata No. 3, Op.

45, is not a familiar piece to me but after this performance I’d certainly want to hear it again. It’s a dramatic and passionate work with violin and piano equally important.

There was a wonderful dialogue between the instruments in the opening of Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 8, the second movement expressive at first with piano and violin very much as one and a sparkling finale.

The Kreisler group began with his Rondino on a Theme by Beethoven which ended amusingly before two of his most famous pieces, Liebesleid and Liebesfreud.

The first a delightfully romantic period piece was played with great sensitivity, becoming softer and gentler with each repetition, and the second with suitable swagger before ending with a flourish.

A particular highlight was Cyril Scott’s exotic Lotus Land, arranged for violin and piano by Kreisler. As played here it was wonderfully moody and mysterious suggesting surprising depths for so brief a piece of music.

A lively arrangement of Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No 18 and a lilting Little Viennese March concluded a splendid recital.

Peter Bevan