Jennifer Pike and Martin Roscoe - St Andrew's Church, Naunton

Wednesday 1st July 2009

In the intimate atmosphere of Naunton church Jennifer Pike and Martin Roscoe provided a colourful palette of music to vie with the evening summer light filtering through the stained glass windows.
Drawing us into this aura of light and colour Jennifer interpreted her father Jeremy's atmospheric compositions Aphelion  and  Praesagium in a dramatic yet sensitive manner.
Assuredly embracing music spanning eras from Bach to present-day, Jennifer brought strong, warm, rich tones to Bach's Sonata No 1 in G minor for Solo Violin. Convincing double-stopped counterpoint highlighted the Siciliana which led to a frenetic and faultless Presto.
Ravel's rhapsodic Tzigane allowed free rein in her perceptive interpretation and virtuosity in its tempo changes and rubato melodies. It was brilliantly rhythmic and unfolded graphic vignettes of camp-fires, circle-dancing and storytelling.
As well as empathetic piano accompaniment Martin Roscoe brought a freshness to an old favourite, Beethoven's Sonata No. 8 in C minor "Pathetique". His majestic chords and almost angry passion in the Grave-Allegro led to a melting and sincere Adagio and rippling Rondo-Allegro.
Excellent balance and empathy between piano and violin in Beethoven's Sonata No. 5 in F major "Spring" effected a sensitive performance with further appealing mood interpretations.
With continued sparkle, enthusiasm and charming smiles an encore of Gershwin's It Ain't Necessarily So rounded off an enchanting evening.

Jill Bacon