For the first time in almost three years, the Drawing Room at Brickwall House in Northiam was filled with music as, by kind permission of the Governors and Principal of Frewen College who occupy the House, Brickwall Music and Arts Society presented, on the evening of Friday, February 19, a solo ‘cello recital by Jessie Ann Richardson which entranced an audience of fifty.
Beginning with Bach’s first ‘cello suite, famous for its opening prelude, Miss Richardson emphasised the tonal and expressive contrasts of the work’s six dance movements before persuasively interpreting two twentieth century works, by Hawkins and Lidstrom, the former dedicated to her by its composer and the second by one of her colleagues at the Royal College of Music.
After the interval, Walton’s Passacaglia was shown not to be the rather dry, unapproachable piece we had thought and Miss Richardson concluded with Bach’s second ‘cello suite in D minor, in a performance which fully justified the player’s stated view that the second is ‘probably the finest of the set of six. Moving and committed, this was a memorable performance.
Brickwall Music and Arts Society wishes to thank the staff of Frewen College who helped so much in the mounting of this concert and it is to be hoped that more will take place in the future. Anyone interested in joining the Society should contact the Membership Secretary on 01797 225822 for details. The remaining concerts in the Society’s season are – April 15 – Globe Ensemble (flute, harp and viola); and August 19 – Navarra String Quartet.