Uncommon combination of charm

The Age

Friday February 25, 2011

Clive O'Connell Reviewer

JO BEAUMONT & MASSIMO SCATTOLIN Rating: 2/5Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre, February 23 AFTER its shaky opening years, the Melbourne Recital Centre is presenting a heavy round of recitals and concerts in 2011, several local bodies finding the money or sponsorship to afford the venue's hefty hiring fee.So far, one of the original aims ��� providing a venue for community organisations ��� remains unfulfilled, but the autumn months promise a wealth of serious music-making with several local ensembles presenting subscription series.A one-off recital brought together expert violinist Jo Beaumont and visiting guitar virtuoso Massimo Scattolin, who is spreading his talent from Adelaide to Castlemaine and back to the recital centre.Beaumont is a familiar face from her years as concertmaster and artistic director of Orchestra Victoria. Since leaving there, she has been seen more often in chamber music roles, and on Wednesday collaborated with Scattolin on two works by Paganini and a brace of Piazzolla tangos, with a solo guitar work the evening's focus.Paganini used the guitar deftly in a surprising number of works even if, in the Sonata No.1 and the well-known Cantabile duo, he gives melodic pre-eminence to the violin. Beaumont settled down after a ruffled start while Scattolin maintained an equable, slightly urging support.The Argentine composer's dances followed the usual pattern of contrasting ferocity and sentiment, making heavy demands on the executants' powers of restrained temperament.The Italian's freshly minted Melbourne Suite in 10 movements connected by a repeated linking theme takes no new strides to expand his instrument's technical abilities but the collection has charm and shows a fine ear for effective sonorities.

© 2011 The Age

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