Talented duo up to the challenge

CONCERTMASTER of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for more than 30 years and head of strings at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music for seven years from 2007, Edwin Paling made a return visit to Hobart with a recital accompanied by distinguished pianist Arabella Teniswood-Harvey.

This was a challenging program of three 20th century sonatas.

Paling is a master violinist and his playing had the maturity and finesse of the seasoned professional.

His tone was consistent in quality, and technical precision was achieved with care and without flamboyance.

Perhaps the Poulenc Sonata for Violin and Piano took a while to catch fire, but in the Hindemith Sonata for Solo Violin Op.11/6 he displayed a combination of toughness, assurance and accuracy.

This work was previously known only in fragments, until a complete manuscript was discovered and published in 2002.

The last of its three movements was particularly effective in this performance.

However, the Prokofiev Sonata for Violin and Piano Op.94a, with its glowing lyricism, was the most impressive of all.

It was transcribed for violin from the original Flute Sonata for David Oistrakh and here received a committed, satisfying rendition from Paling and TeniswoodHarvey.