If you are a Roman, you would believe that a good omen was important. If you are a Sandgrounder, you know that when the sun shines in Southport , all is well. Include Spring, the dancing daffodils, glorious camellias, peeping bluebells and tulips and there is nowhere to better Southport . All this borne in mind, two days before the arrival in Southport of American pianist Dr Ruth Morrow, the good omen for Richard Smith was an e-mail from Amadeus Press, the world famous New York publishers of musical books. Quote “We are ready to offer you a contract on your book, "Practicing Chopin". Also, I am very interested in the "Concepts in Piano Playing" volume you are working on".  

A weekend of glorious weather greeted Dr Morrow, prior to her lunchtime piano concert in the theatre of KGV College. No stranger to college settings, Dr Morrow holds the position of Bolin Chair of Piano and Professor of Music at the Midwestern State University of Texas, and is an American concert pianist of considerable standing.   

    On Monday, 4th April, 2005 at midday, and introduced to the audience by the head of the Music department, Keith Matthews, the strikingly attractive Dr Morrow, in floor-length black dress, with waist-long, half plaited hair, drew pictures in the air with her hands in flamboyant style, and drew the audience into each item. The music was unusually, Ragtime, and any preconceived ideas about the limitations of the genre were dispelled by a programme of astonishing variety and virtuosity. Revealed was that Ragtime is an evolving musical genre, drawing the attention of composers of consumer skill, who are able to loosen the structure without unravelling it. 

    "Old Adam", composed in 1969 by William Bolcom, has a Formal background close to the widely known, Scott Joplin, but in fact, is far removed from it in keyboard scoring.

      In "China Gates", an important piano work by any standards, Miss Morrow displayed masterly control of bass note dynamics whilst taking them up with the speed of a Cobras’ strike, whilst at the same time playing quiet treble figurations with a icy clarity.

      The ‘Nightmare Fantasy Rag" (1980), the Programmes main work, by William Albright, explored chromatic modal harmony, in addition to considerable technical difficulties. All this was transcended by Dr Morrows’ admirable technique. Tonal quality ranged from a melting ‘cantabile’ to a strident ‘fortissimo' (ffz). The vigour, enthusiasm and freshness, so much a hallmark of the American people, was inherent in the music and playing of this remarkable pianist.    

    In inviting the concert into King George the 5th College, its Principal, Hilary Anslow OBE, and her music master, showed how aware they are of the need to redress the over-exposure of their students to music that is often crude, ill-conceived and purely commercial. Taking quality music into the heart of the College is an excellent first progressive step.

The weekend hosts of Dr Morrow were pianists, Richard and Alexander Smith, who played for their guest, the first book of Chopin's Etudes, Opus 10.  

Alexander Smith, who is music examiner for the Victoria College of Music, London has been invited by Dr Morrow to give a concert at Midwestern State University , Texas later this year. This will be prefaced by a concert for members and students of the Frisco Teachers Association (PTA), Texas , on the 26th June 2005 . Richard Smith who was last year it awarded a Fellowship with honours in Musical Research and Scholarship has now been invited to give an exhibition recital in London .

Richard Smith

A message of thanks from King George the Fifth College

 

...Thank you indeed for your suggestion of bringing Ruth here - I hope you were all happy with arrangements and the number of audience and felt it was all very worthwhile. From our side it was greatly appreciated. Those who didn't make it missed some super playing and an informative and thoroughly valuable and enjoyable experience...  Keith Matthews, Head of Music

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