This reviewer has been put in the position of writing this whilst having the dictionary open to find synonyms for fantastic in order not to become too repetitive!
The concert began with Hungarian Melody by Schubert which set the tone for the music to come, warm and lyrical and a perfect start to the afternoon.
This was followed by Out of the Blue, a composition by Miles and Margarita which was sonorous and thoughtful.
Shostakovich followed in the form of Three Pieces. This was not the angular Shostakovich of the String Quartets or the Symphonies, but more the film and ballet writing style, charming and delightful.
The guitar then featured as solo instrument with two pieces from Spain, showcasing the skills of Miles Jackson who demonstrated here that he is not only a consummate accompanist, but a stunning solo guitar player as well.
The first half finished with the Bach Double Violin Concerto in D Minor with the orchestra replaced by the guitar in a very clever transcription that worked extremely well. The two violinists blended their sounds together, weaving their lines, always mindful of where the important part was and the slow movement was almost agonising in its beauty.
After the interval came a rich and varied selection of lighter music, starting with a stunning rendition of the well-known Hungarian Dance No 5 by Brahms, with the speed changes judged to perfection.
Gypsy, Flamenco, Spanish pieces followed with a wonderful solo violin and guitar performance from Fleur and Miles showcasing violin technique and sound beautifully.
The Scot Joplin number that came next was played in a completely different light to the usual Rags, with a repeated simple melody reflecting grief that was absolutely haunting.
Take Five finished the concert with the audience by now humming with delight and sheer pleasure and the standing ovation and noise of feet drumming and hands clapping was no surprise.
The encore of Csárdás by Monti with the two violins astonishingly playing the fast passage work in perfect unison was an extra bonus to a lovely afternoon and we are still talking about the concert some days later.
We are so lucky to be in the position of being able to experience live music here in New Zealand and a concert of this calibre reminds us of how much people in other countries are currently missing.
The ambience of the Sarjeant Gallery was a perfect backdrop for this intimate concert. This was a very well thought out programme both in length and contrast and the order of the pieces was perfect. What joy they gave us and I hope that they will be back soon to delight us with more of their repertoire. Bravo.
