MUSIC

El Rincon, Bristol(Sun 20 Nov)

I ring Mike Willox shortly before this lunchtime gig is due to start. With 10 minutes to go, there’s pretty much only the El Rincon dog by way of an audience. Not surprising, perhaps, for a classical music gig at an unaccustomed time and place. But when I arrive, some 15 minutes later, I can barely squeeze through to the bar and have to sip my Rioja on the pavement, listening to the music through the open door with the rest of the overspill crowd. Classical music punters clearly take start times seriously, I decide, and there’s a pleasing seriousness in the crowd that isn’t reverential but certainly pays attention. They’re well rewarded, too, with a musical journey that starts with some crisp harpsichord and violin pieces by Handel and Mozart and proceeds on piano and violin through Elgar to an arrangement of Bartok’s Romanian Dances. While Willox’s keyboard parts are synthetic, courtesy of the ineffable technology of Nord, they’re as convincing as it gets and the trade-off – that it allows this sparkling music to be heard in these comfy and informal surroundings – is more than enough to override quibbles. No allowances need to be made for the violin sound, however, with Pearce’s eloquent range stretching from the precision of Handel’s arpeggios to the more romantic fulsomeness of Elgar. While I’m not qualified to assess the performance as a classical critic, nonetheless it’s beautifully (and flawlessly) played and the occasional ‘pin drop’ moments of attention show that I’m not alone in enjoying it. Clearly a brave gamble that paid off, I hope this sort of free-range classical event is the start of a trend. (Tony Benjamin)

Copyright Tony Benjamin 2011