An Excellent Partnership 3 Tamara Ivana

Ivana Tomášková and Tamara Smolyar could not have picked a better programme to demonstrate the art of complementary musicianship. From the initial muscular eruption of sound in Grieg’s Sonata no.3 in C minor for violin and piano, opus 45, the conversation between the two instruments is established and then maintained all the way through the impressive performance. The question-and-answer passages, evoking chatting cuckoos, are a model of clarity and scherzando playing, even if at times the mood of the piece is sombre. Smolyar’s easy interpretation of rippling Nordic brooks and Tomášková’s sparkling line bring to life the landscapes that influenced this work. In complete contrast to the unsettling opening bars, the quiet ending leaves the listener in a calm and reflective mood – a prodigious achievement on the part of the performers.

The technical excellence of the performers is evident in their scrupulous attention to note values, pauses, dynamics and mood – and the result is music that is as pleasing as it is technically correct. At all times in this programme is the intention of the composer respected, neither performer ever presuming to impose her influence on the work. True artistry. Many thanks to Bernard Capicchiano of Bernie’s Music Land (www.musicland.com.au) for producing this excellent CD.