Friday Lunchtime Music from the 19th century.

This week’s Friday lunchtime concert at St Stephen’s Uniting Church in Macquarie Street features  violinist Ronald Woodcock with pianist Lillian Camhausen performing music that is mostly from the 19th and 20th centuries, but which opens with the elegant Rondo in C K373 by Mozart.

The Prayer for the Innocents is the second movement from the Violin Sonata in A by the 20th century Italian composer Ildebrando Pizzetti. Fittingly, in the sonata, this follows an opening movement which is an evocation of war and is followed by movements which presage optimism and peace.

Refreshing works by a trio of 20th century French composer include Debussy’s La Plus Que Lente,  Ravel’s Pièce en Forme de Habañera and Milhaud’s Ipanema from “Saudados do Brasil”.

Finally, music by the great musical dramatist Erich Korngold with the Incidental Music to “Much Ado About Nothing” (In the Bridal Chamber; The March of the Watch; Garden Scene; Hornpipe).

Ronald Woodcock learnt from the great masters Arthur Grumiaux and Pablo Casals in Europe and played with the Philharmonia, BBC and Royal Philharmonic orchestras under conductors such as Karajan, Klemperer, Ormandy, Beecham and Goossens. He has toured to 95 countries during a distinguished career as concerto and recital soloist, chamber player, teacher and orchestral conductor.

He was, for twenty years Associate Professor of Violin at Adelaide University. He now tours internationally giving recitals, concerto performances, radio recordings, violin masterclasses and workshops as well as adjudicating at national concerto competitions and eisteddfods.