Elgar's 145th birthday coincided with the Golden Jubilee weekend, and Michael Heald (violin) and Liana Embovica-Rivkin (piano) helped to celebrate in recital.

It was apparent immediately in Schubert's Sonata for Violin and Piano in A minor that this was a very comfortable musical partnership. Rubatos were placed to enhance in the Allegro moderato, and the Andante was played as a beautiful 'lied', where the piano augmented the violin's song, as both musicians coalesced to achieve intense drama and sensitive retractions.

Beethoven's Sonata for Piano and Violin in F major, 'Spring', showed considerable evidence of the musicians' masterful technique and depth of understanding of the composer's music. Michael began the Allegro in joyful and wonderfully extended melody, while Liana responded in similar vein. Their simultaneous trills which closed the Adagio molto expressivo, before moving on to their quirky off-beat Scherzo: Allegro molto and the Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo which grew in stature as the movement developed, bore witness to their balanced and complementary performances.

Marking the Birthplace's recent acquisition of the score of Salut d'amour, Michael and Liana included their romantic interpretation of the piece.

An impassioned delivery of Elgar's Sonata for Violin and Piano in E minor ranged from nervy introspection to intense emotion. Romance: Andante reached a soulful climax as rapture subsided into pianissimo, with utmost delicacy. The magnificently delivered finale Allegro, non troppo ended on a clearly defined accelerando.

A Czardos gypsy dance, in show stopping style, was the encore. Jill Hopkins