Warmth and Vigour

MIKE WHEELER listens to
a recital by the Adelfi Duo

The Adelfi Duo is a sister act -- Rebecca and Kathryn Eves, violin and piano respectively. Their close rapport was evident throughout this recital, an engaging opening to Derby Chamber Music's 2007-8 season (Multi-Faith Centre, Derby University, Derby UK, 28 September 2007).

Their account of Beethoven's 'Spring' Sonata was marked by a strong forward current in the opening movement, and some eloquent phrasing in the second. Only the brief, quirky scherzo seemed under-characterised.

They produced charm galore in Elgar's Chanson de Matin and Chanson de Nuit and, after the interval, Finzi's Elegy, but they also found an expressive depth, particularly in Chanson de Nuit and the Finzi.

After the two Elgar pieces they gave a thoroughly enjoyable performance of John Adams' Road movies, with bags of punchy energy in the outer movements and extraordinary stillness and concentration in the second.

Finally it was back to Elgar for his Violin Sonata, in a bold, passionate reading that made a fitting climax to the evening. There was, perhaps, room for an even greater sense of fey whimsicality in the slow movement, but in the outer ones the duo missed nothing of the music's warmth and vigour.