{TABLE} Sonata in A, BWV 1032 .............. Bach Sonata No 1 ........................ Gaubert Suite Op 34 ........................ Widor Six Bagatelles, Op 126 ............. Beethoven Duo ................................ Copland {/TABLE} THE recital at the Bank of Ireland Arts Centre on Tuesday night, given by Gareth Costello (flute) and Stuart O'Sullivan (piano) as part of the Evening Charity Recital series, was a mix of highs and lows in the qualities of the music and the performances. Neither player seemed sure of what to do with Bach's Sonata in A, BWV 1032, and O'Sullivan's inaccuracy with Bach's intricate keyboard writing did not help. If that piece, which opened the concert, was one of the compositional highs, then it was followed by one of the lows, Gaubert's Sonata No. 1.
The overall result was more convincing than in the Bach, however, for even though the players' genteel approach emphasised just how insubstantial this music is, it did convey a sense of expressive purpose.
The second half saw much the best playing of the evening. Widor's Suite, Op. 34, had real character, which was helped along by strong shaping, very good balance and some beautifully crisp ensemble. Here and in Copland's Duo, which ended the concert, Costello's fine tone and technical fluency were a pleasure to hear. It was significant that O'Sullivan's tendency to inaccuracy with detail did not matter, for he and Costello had the assured unanimity of true chamber music players.
