{TABLE} Song without Words No 2 ............................... Otto Ketting Trio .................................................. Otto Ketting Canzone ............................................... Tristan Keuris Tussenmeer ............................................ Mary Kelly Serene ................................................ Ton Bruynel {/TABLE} CONCORDE'S lunchtime National yesterday in the Concert Hall's John Field Room, given as part of the "Music Now" series, was frustrating. The programme, seemed a logical one, with the premiere of one Irish work, inspired by the composer's perceptions of Holland, surrounded by the work of contemporary Dutch composers. Yet the music and the performances had limitations which accumulated.
Otto Ketting (b. 1935), who was visiting Ireland for this concert, and for the performance of his De aankomst by the National Symphony Orchestra the same night, was represented by two works. His Song Without Words No 2 (1992), played by flautist Madeleine Staunton, and his Trio (1988) for violin (Alan Smale), cello (David James) and piano (Jane O'Leary), feature clear shaping and show a sense of scale and the trio is dominated by a well defined, non tonal discourse. However, they typified the limitations of on the sleeve organicism by being diverting but never arresting or profound.
Mary Kelly's Tussenmeer (1990) is less focused. Scored for flute, alto saxophone (Paul Roe), cello and violin, its textures are elaborate, yet lacking in that direction which its regular phrase structures imply.
Madeleine Staunton's playing in the Ketting, and in Serene (1978) by Ton Bruynel (b. 1934), for flute and prerecorded tape, saw some beautiful tone. But there, and even more in the ensemble items, purpose and strong shaping were wanting. Contemporary music needs persuasive performance, moreover, there is plenty of modern Dutch music better than we heard here.
Much the best playing was in the solo clarinet piece Canzone (1989-90), by Tristan Keuris (b. 1946). Paul Roe had not just the notes but plenty of the spirit of a piece designed for display, yet with rather more substance than most pieces on the programme.