University of Virginia Library

MUSIC

Arce: Yellow Rose From Texas

Bach's Concerto in the Italian
Manner, Beethoven's Sonata in C
Major, Opus 2, No. 3, Ravel "Valises
Nobles et Sentimentales," and
Chopin's Sonata No. 3 in B minor,
Opus 58 comprised the difficult,
but delightfully broad, program for
Miss Alegria Arce, a young pianist
who comes from the University of
Texas. In Tuesday night's
performance, Miss Arce played with
great style, with perhaps more
attention to proficiency than some
would like. She is young, attractive
and vital person who will carve a
concert career for many years to
come.

Impeccable Timing

I found Miss Arce's sense of
timing impeccable, and this was
consistent throughout the program.
The Bach had all the brilliance of a
master craftsman's knowledge,
brought to bear just as Bach noted:
espressivo. It was a shock to some
when they realized that Miss Arce
sings her music as she is playing.
This was less apparent in the Bach
than in later items in her program.
Coloration and technique blended
perfectly in Bach's Italian
Concerto.

Beethoven's Sonata in C Major,
Opus 2, No.3 followed, and
received equally careful attention
from Miss Arce. I particularly like
the approach she uses in that it is
not overly mannered, not
romanticisized, but full of life. Miss
Arce opts for briskness without loss
of clarity. She has a good concept
of an audience, who warmed to her
throughout the evening.

Chopin's Sonata No.3, in B
minor, Opus 58 proved Miss Arce's
dedication to her art. One noted
throughout the program that she
kept pressing, or kneading one of
her fingers between movements of
the various pieces. This resulted in
her hasty removal of bandage in
order to finish Chopin's Sonata as
brilliantly as she had begun. It was
in her way, causing slippage, so out
it went.

Grows Professionally

Miss Arce's career is assured if
she grows professionally as fast now
that she is concertizing as it has to
this point. I believe she is just
twenty-one years of age. It is not
unlikely that she may record great
piano music. If so, she may become
the female enfant terrible through
her singing while she is playing. I
did not find it objectionable but I
was not sitting terribly close to the
stage. Glenn Gould was driven from
the stage by his reaction to his
audience's reaction to his style of
playing. I hope that Miss Arce's
singing, which will sorely try
recording engineers, does not
become a problem in what is likely
to be a brilliant career.