Capturing Moods

Musical Offerings
Immediate sketches by Ed Hargrave

Ed Hargrave's method defies logic: he sketches with his eyes on the object and not the sketchpad. Results are varied in impact, yet most of them are vivid enough to hold attention. His interest is entirely in capturing musicians playing, a snapshot of intense concentration.

As a string player himself with a love of chamber music, there are no less than 16 Quartets in focus, widely diverse in style and mood. The remainder is a powerful group of soloists and conductors. Hargrave's sketch of John Ogdon I have seen before. It still attracts my admiration for the grip on Ogdon's musical personality. This makes a fascinating companion collection to Hargrave's previous Lightning Conductors.

(Cappella Archive, Foley Terrace, Great Malvern, WR14 4RQ, England.)