Bach’s Sonata in B. minor was the main work in the lunch-hour recital yesterday by Robert Sibson and David Lourie (Rhodesian Academy of Music).
Mr. Sibson gave a fine, affectionate performance, though the fast passage in the finale rather taxed his breathing and did not achieve its full sense of climax.
Accompanists are known always to be asking themselves: “Am I too loud”? In a work like this sonata the danger is that the accompaniment might be too soft for Bach clearly intended the keyboard instrument to be on equal terms with the flute.
In this performance, balance between the instruments was always well-judged. Mr. Lourie was not afraid to give full emphasis to the passages in which the piano was melodically dominant, nor Mr. Sibson to retire correspondingly.
“Syrinx” by Debussy and a Danse by Honegger, both for unaccompanied flute, gave Mr. Sibson a chance to display a nimble technique in all registers, and his instrument’s ability to evoke atmosphere.
A Concertino by Chaminade brought the recital to a tuneful end.