The audience at Sidholme Hotel’s historic music room was treated to an outstanding recital on Sunday, when Joyce Clarke gave of her services to help raise funds for the renovation of the remaining chandeliers, with a programme of romantic music, writes Angela Bea.

From the first note of Sinding’s Rustle of Spring (in the style of Grieg, he being his Norwegian successor) it was clear we were in for an exciting and relaxing afternoon.

Joyce’s lightness of touch, technically accomplished and full of feeling, set off the new concert grand perfectly.

Each piece was introduced by the soloist, leading us through the delights of Debussy, early Mendelssohn and Rachmaninoff.

Some of these pieces were well- known, others less so, but showed the diversity of tonal quality achievable by a top performer and a good instrument.

There was even a Valentine’s moment when Joyce played a charming piece by her late father, Harold Noble, written for her own wedding.

The emotional climax of the afternoon came when Joyce presented a piece written just after the Japanese tsunami in 2011, by the blind composer Tsujii, followed by Chopin’s Ballade No 1 in G minor, which was studied by a young Japanese girl trying to come to terms with this terrible event.

It was deeply moving and took the audience from despair through to hope, with a reminder of the tragedy as the piece ended with a sombre minor chord. A calm ‘Epilogue’ rounded off an excellent concert.

This Sunday (February 18), the programmed concert by the ‘Old Bull and Bush Company’ has had to be deferred to a future date.

On February 26 and 27, Wilkinson’s will be in the music room setting up the biggest and newly-renovated chandelier for any interested public to see.

Tickets are now on sale (£10) for James Pellow’s offering on March 11, from the hotel’s reception and Paragon Books.

Further details of all upcoming events and renewal of friends membership are on the ‘Friends of Sidholme Music Room’ website.