Sarah Beaty & Sam Armstrong at Stokesley Methodist Church
IT WAS a delight on the first really frosty night of the season to settle into the comfortably warm Methodist church in Stokesley where a near capacity audience welcomed the youthful clarinettist Sarah Beaty and Sam Armstrong her piano accompanist.
Frank Harrison, chairman of Teesside Music Society, thanked Tim Jackson for providing a fine piano for use by the society, and expressed appreciation of Mr and Mrs Peter Sotheran, who work hard to bring classical music to the area and have organised a series of lunch-time concerts in the Methodist church on the first Thursday of the month.
The concert began with Cradle Song by modern composer Mark-Anthony Turnage. It has a weaving, drifting, haunting melody, dedicated to clarinettist Mark Simpson, and is ideally suited to that instrument.
The following Three Romances by Robert Schumann have a sweet, flowing style to which the clarinet does full justice. In the third piece, simply titled Nicht schnell (not quickly), piano and clarinet mirror each other very effectively.
Weber’s Grand Duo Concertant Op.48 opens with a dazzling cascade of notes in an absolutely joyful Allegro con fuoco, and all together this work provided a breath-taking showpiece for the combination of instruments.
Solo de Concours by Messager was composed for the annual clarinet examination at the Paris Conservatoire and according to the programme notes was intended to "test the player’s virtuosity". Beaty came through with flying colours.
Armstrong demonstrated excellent technique in the Piano Sonata Op.1 by Alban Berg. This is a strongly passionate work in one movement. Armstrong has an intense, sensitive style which suited the music to perfection and showcased the beautiful piano.
Both performers share a strong musical bond and Beaty told how their careers have moved in parallel with one another. Each has a physical, highly expressive style.
Teesside Music Society's next concert is on Sunday January 25, at 3pm, at St Bernadette's Church, Nunthorpe, featuring the Edinburgh String Quartet; tickets from Julia Haigh, tel 01642 711618.
Irene MacDonald
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