Diane Berger and Sumiko Yamamura were riveting…

St Stephen’s Friday Music | Diane Berger and pianist Sumiko Yamamura

March 24, 2023, St Stephen’s Macquarie Street, Sydney

Diane Berger – flute

Sumiko Yamamura – piano

Mark Quarmby – organ

In this week’s Friday Music in St Stephen’s flautist Diane Berger and pianist Sumiko Yamamura were riveting in Aaron Copland’s substantial and evocative three movement Duo. With music that sounded at times like his famous ballet scores Appalachian Spring and Rodeo as well as some of his other hoedown music the performers had fun with the energetic dancelike music and were ever so serene in the soft and slow sections. This is unmistakably music from North America and possibly that is because Copland made it that way. So many composers in both concert and film music have used his soundworld as inspiration for their own work. Berger and Yamamura, surely two of the best players in chamber music in Sydney, made me want to hear it again, and soon.

They opened the concert with a work by Australian composer Ann Carr-Boyd that also referenced music from the USA, her American Dream. Carr-Boyd is a composer who draws on many facets of known music and creates very accessible works. 

Covid still stalks our land and the indisposed young trumpeter Adelaide Channon had to withdraw from the concert but luckily for the audience organist Mark Quarmby stepped in to play a solo by JS Bach, O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, BWV 622. Exquisitely chosen stops made the sweet toned organ enchant the attentive audience. 

The solo flute work from 1995 Summer Bird by the writer received an elegant and perfectly balanced bird-like performance full of bounce and witticisms. Maybe Diane Berger’s position as Principal Piccolo in the Opera Australia Orchestra influences her crystal high range and brilliant clarity. Whatever the reason, it was a delight to hear.

ipad sketch by Rod Holdaway