Trio Chalumeau
VENUE: Enoch Sontonga Hall, Sunnyside
RATING: ****
Pretoria-born Niel van der Watt, currently Head of Music at the Pretoria Boys’ High School, is one of South Africa’s most prolific composers.
A concert devoted entirely to his work drew a surprisingly good turn-out, which attests to the popularity and accessibility of this composer’s music.
Van der Watt’s music can be listened to repeatedly with interest, pleasure and an increasing admiration for this composer of contemporary music.
The works performed at this concert are individual, all well worth exploring for their unique musical qualities. Each of the pieces reflects consummate craft and sensibility that weds “modernism” with that which is frank, direct and lyrical. They are melodically distinctive, harmonically arresting, rhythmic-ally ebullient.
Trio Chalumeau (Annalien Ball, piano; Susan Mouton, cello; Lizet Smith, clarinet) are ideal musicians to present Van der Watt’s music. They presented the works in committed and lively readings.
Technical hazards were overcome with an ease that not only stems from their obviously superb “equipment”, but also from the profundity of their understanding and relish for this music.
Besides, the artists seemed to be listening to and responding to each other with every collective breath.
In the three trios there was an outstanding display of virtuosity, with a good deal of panache. They concluded the concert with the rhapsodic, mercurial three pieces entitled Three Jazz Pieces. They offered some brazen, propulsive playing.
Anneline Ball was on stage for the duration of the concert. She played her solo piece East is Inside with pacing that was bold yet flexible.
Clarinettist Lizet Smith played with flair and spontaneity, constantly imaginative in her wide use of dynamic range and every possible colouristic effect.
Her superb breath-control allowed her to phrase in beautiful long lines.
Susan Mouton derived the same almost athletic energy from the rhythmic pulse of the music.
Van der Watt’s Vier elemente en epiloog are five songs that are instant classics.
Their simplicity calls forth a quality of invention and form that is very appealing. Soprano Deidre Blignaut sang them with a vivid sense of verbal point and precisely defined mood. The
bloom of her vocal timbre combined with an artless line brought at times ravishing frisson.
And a thrilling event it was!