Early Music In Late May @ King of Hearts, Norwich

Early Music In Late May @ King of Hearts, Norwich

By MICHAEL DRAKE

The weather could only be relied on this delightful lunchtime concert yesterday would have been ideal for the adjoining sunny courtyard.

As it was nothing was lost in the first of this year's popular series in which the stylistic development of English, French and Italian string sonatas from mostly less well-known composers was illustrated by Marianna Szucs (violin et al) and Karen Glen (harpsichord).

A plaintive opening to Corelli's Sonata in C lead to a florid Allegro and thence to a piece by Michel Corrette, an organist and composer from Norwich's twin city of Rouen, in which the keyboard had much more equality with the violin.

Flackton's sonata in C, one of the first written for viola, saw a stately change in country dance manner but much more bland in style.

The following work by the Italian Toeschi, written for viola d'amore and harpsichord allows for much more double stopping with the increase in string but it's more mellow sound was rather disappointing in execution, though no doubt Marianna Szucs will settle to her new instrument with greater fluidity.

And a little piece of Mozart completed the recital. Not yet even a teenager, his two movement Sonata in F showed its elegant young simplicity and the spontaneity of the performers.

t The mini-festival continues until Sunday.