Betty Bannerman
(mezzo-soprano)
Watson Forbes (viola)
Alan Richardson (piano)
Maria Lidka (violin)
Franz Reizenstein (piano)
Robin Orr , who is organist of St. John's College, Cambridge, was born at Brechin, Forfarshire, in 1909. His training was cosmopolitan, for after studying at the Royal College of Music and at Cambridge (with Professor Dent) he went on to work with Casella at Siena and Nadia Boulanger in Paris. His compositions include Three Latin Psalms for soprano and string quartet , a Divertimento for chamber orchestra, and several sonatas. The one for viola and piano was written last year for Watson Forbes. who played it for the first time, with the composer, at a concert in Cambridge
Well known as a pianist, Franz Reizenstein is also a composer with distinctive gifts. Born at Nuremberg in 1911. he studied with Hindemith and, later, at the Royal College of Music with Vaughan Williams , to whom his first published work, a suite for piano, is dedicated. He has lived in London since 1933. Among his considerable output are a Piano Concerto, a Wind Quintet, and a set of variations for violin and piano. His Violin Sonata in G sharp dates from 1945 and is dedicated to Maria Lidka , who played it for the first time. with the composer, in London in January, 1946. The Scherzo in A. one of his most recent works, was first performed by him in Oslo last October, in the course of a tour of Scandinavia (The first item in the programme is recorded)