The lunch hour recital yesterday by Richard Thorn (violin) and Anne Visser (piano) in the Rhodesian Academy of Music’s series included the first Rhodesian performance of the second violin sonata of contemporary British composer, Edmund Rubbra.
There was nothing frighteningly modern about this work. Apart from an energetic finale it conveyed an attitude of bitter-sweet melancholy expressed largely in modal intervals.
It did bring forth excellently assured and controlled playing by Mr. Thorn – warm toned, lyrical and sincere. In the finale it was vigorous and fiery as required. Miss Visser accompanied well, but there were moments when the piano part demanded more assertion.
The Meditation from “Thias” pushed ahead rather hard and ended unfortunately on a flat harmonic.