
At our meeting on 27th September, members were treated to a delightful and strikingly virtuosic recital by teenager Alannah Saphir. The first half of her programme consisted of possibly rather less known pieces which she told us she was going to play in her forthcoming auditions for a number of UK Conservatoires. They showed off very effectively both her dexterity and her sensitivity in her playing. The pieces were: Ballade for Flute”, op.288 by Carl Reinecke (1824 - 1910), and “Fantaisie for Flute”, op.79 by Gabriel Fauré (1845 –1924).

Alannah’s remaining two pieces were, I'm sure, much better known: the delightful Sicilienne, op. 78 (from the opera “Pélleas et Mélisande”) also by Fauré, and the foot-tapping “Tambourin” by François-Joseph Gossec (1734 –1829) with what looked like some horrendously difficult fingerwork, but in which Alannah succeeded in making it all look so easy!
We must not overlook the very sensitive and accomplished accompaniment by Alannah's mother, Nichola. The accompaniments were far from easy but appeared to cause Nichola no difficulty whatsoever; mother and daughter were in complete harmony throughout. Thank you, mum!
This was a thoroughly enjoyable 25 minutes, and I'm sure the audience were left wanting more. It has been my aim in these musical sessions to give a platform to “up and coming” young musicians. It is clear to me, and I'm sure to the audience, that Alannah, as with Hazel last month, is very much “up and coming” and we wish both of them every success in their musical futures.
If you would like to watch the videos of Alannah's performances, taken by Vic Brookes, click on the links below.
Mike Hay
Kommentare