Katy Smith & Amy Butler
- Violin & Piano
9
th
January 2025
The
New
Year
saw
the
start
of
a
new
partnership
of
violinist
Katy
Smith
with
pianist
Amy
Butler,
but
no
one
present
would
have
guessed
that
this
was
the
duo’s
first
public
concert
given
together.
Marking
the
150
th
anniversary
of
Maurice
Ravel’s
birth,
the
two
consummate
professionals
gave
a
masterclass
performance
of
a
Ravel
themed
programme
that
was
indeed
synergistic!
Amy’s
exemplary
and
responsive
piano
playing
provided
the
perfect
foil
for
Katy’s
ardent
bowing
and
deft
finger
work.
Amy
made
full
use
of
the
Grimsby
Town
Hall
Steinway
piano
–
always
maintaining
a
perfect
balance
with
the
violin.
Katy
fully
employed
her
violin,
made
about
1720
by
the
English
maker
Nathaniel
Cross,
drawing
and strongly projecting full rich tones from it.
The
concert
opened
with
a
delightful
Romance
by
Gabriel
Fauré,
one
of
Ravel’s
teachers;
the
piece
immediately
showcased
the
individual
and
combined
skills
to
the
two
artists.
At
one
with
her
instrument,
Katy
educed
wonderful
tones
from
the
violin,
emphasised
by
controlled
vibrato
to
give
the
music
a
song-
like
quality.
Amy
was
gentle
and
controlled,
maintaining
a
refined
balance
between
the
instruments;
she
was
totally
attentive
to
Katy’s
part
–
never
rushed
and
never
late,
allowing
Katy
to
own
her
part;
thus
the
standard was set for the concert as the pair lived the music as one!
Both
players
clearly
enjoyed
Ravel’s
blue’s
influenced
Sonata
for
Violin
and
Piano
(No.2).
In
a
demanding
and
at
times
devilish
violin
part,
Katy
oozed
skill
and
musicality,
supported
by
Amy’s
no
less
demanding
piano
part
that
saw
at
times
a
musical
battle
between
them
–
of
which
they
were
jointly
victorious.
The
first
half
closed
with
a
most
moving
rendition
of
Ralph
Vaughan
Williams
The
Lark
Ascending
.
After
being
declined
by
Elgar,
Williams’
had
gone
to
Ravel
for
lessons
–
reflected
in
the
superbly
impressionistic
nature
of
the
piece;
Amy
evoked
a
pastoral
scene
above
which
Katy
soared;
a
piece heard many times on the radio – this performance was as good as it gets!
Giving
added
authenticity
to
Edward
Elgar’s
Violin
Sonata,
Katy
used
“Elgar’s
bow”
–
which
she
described
as
“tip-heavy”.
In
the
dramatic
opening
Allegro,
both
artists
played
with
verve
and
gusto.
In
the
Romance,
Katy
evoked
a
sighing
quality
to
the
opening
notes;
whilst
both
players
possessed
their
own
parts,
the
parts
combined
fluidly.
Amy
and
Katy
gave
a
passionate
performance
of
the
fast
and
furious
final
movement
of
Elgar’s
sonata.
Ravel’s
Gypsy
influenced
Tzigane
opened
with
violin
soliloquy
that
evoked
a
range
of
scenes
and
emotions,
one
of
which
seemed
to
reference
“The
Lark
Ascending.”
With
Amy
setting
the
stage
for
a
dance,
the
playful
second
movement
allowed
Katy
to
showcase
her
technical
prowess
on
the
violin
as
she
progressed
through
a
range
of
techniques
including:
right
and
left
hand
pizicatto’s,
spicatto,
harmonics
and
double
bowing
amongst
others
–
the
duo
combining
in
a
wonderful,
frenzied
finale.
To
the
delight
of
all,
Amy
and
Katy
performed
a
playful
and
pleasantly
spirited
encore
–
Elgar’s
La Capricieuse
.
IM
Katy Smith & Amy Butler
- Violin & Piano
9
th
January 2025
The
New
Year
saw
the
start
of
a
new
partnership
of
violinist
Katy
Smith
with
pianist
Amy
Butler,
but
no
one
present
would
have
guessed
that
this
was
the
duo’s
first
public
concert
given
together.
Marking
the
150
th
anniversary
of
Maurice
Ravel’s
birth,
the
two
consummate
professionals
gave
a
masterclass
performance
of
a
Ravel
themed
programme
that
was
indeed
synergistic!
Amy’s
exemplary
and
responsive
piano
playing
provided
the
perfect
foil
for
Katy’s
ardent
bowing
and
deft
finger
work.
Amy
made
full
use
of
the
Grimsby
Town
Hall
Steinway
piano
–
always
maintaining
a
perfect
balance
with
the
violin.
Katy
fully
employed
her
violin,
made
about
1720
by
the
English
maker
Nathaniel
Cross,
drawing
and
strongly projecting full rich tones from it.
The
concert
opened
with
a
delightful
Romance
by
Gabriel
Fauré,
one
of
Ravel’s
teachers;
the
piece
immediately
showcased
the
individual
and
combined
skills
to
the
two
artists.
At
one
with
her
instrument,
Katy
educed
wonderful
tones
from
the
violin,
emphasised
by
controlled
vibrato
to
give
the
music
a
song-like
quality.
Amy
was
gentle
and
controlled,
maintaining
a
refined
balance
between
the
instruments;
she
was
totally
attentive
to
Katy’s
part
–
never
rushed
and
never
late,
allowing
Katy
to
own
her
part;
thus
the
standard
was
set
for
the
concert
as
the
pair
lived
the
music
as
one!
Both
players
clearly
enjoyed
Ravel’s
blue’s
influenced
Sonata
for
Violin
and
Piano
(No.2).
In
a
demanding
and
at
times
devilish
violin
part,
Katy
oozed
skill
and
musicality,
supported
by
Amy’s
no
less
demanding
piano
part
that
saw
at
times
a
musical
battle
between
them
–
of
which
they
were
jointly
victorious.
The
first
half
closed
with
a
most
moving
rendition
of
Ralph
Vaughan
Williams
The
Lark
Ascending
.
After
being
declined
by
Elgar,
Williams’
had
gone
to
Ravel
for
lessons
–
reflected
in
the
superbly
impressionistic
nature
of
the
piece;
Amy
evoked
a
pastoral
scene
above
which
Katy
soared;
a
piece
heard
many
times
on
the
radio
– this performance was as good as it gets!
Giving
added
authenticity
to
Edward
Elgar’s
Violin
Sonata,
Katy
used
“Elgar’s
bow”
–
which
she
described
as
“tip-heavy”.
In
the
dramatic
opening
Allegro,
both
artists
played
with
verve
and
gusto.
In
the
Romance,
Katy
evoked
a
sighing
quality
to
the
opening
notes;
whilst
both
players
possessed
their
own
parts,
the
parts
combined
fluidly.
Amy
and
Katy
gave
a
passionate
performance
of
the
fast
and
furious
final
movement
of
Elgar’s
sonata.
Ravel’s
Gypsy
influenced
Tzigane
opened
with
violin
soliloquy
that
evoked
a
range
of
scenes
and
emotions,
one
of
which
seemed
to
reference
“The
Lark
Ascending.”
With
Amy
setting
the
stage
for
a
dance,
the
playful
second
movement
allowed
Katy
to
showcase
her
technical
prowess
on
the
violin
as
she
progressed
through
a
range
of
techniques
including:
right
and
left
hand
pizicatto’s,
spicatto,
harmonics
and
double
bowing
amongst
others
–
the
duo
combining
in
a
wonderful,
frenzied
finale.
To
the
delight
of
all,
Amy
and
Katy
performed
a
playful
and
pleasantly
spirited
encore
–
Elgar’s
La
Capricieuse
.
IM
