atthew Sharp is nothing if not versatile. He plays the cello, sings, and acts, and his interests cross many genres. Saturday’s double bill demonstrated his extraordinary resourcefulness: first a recital of works for solo cello by Patterson, Yarde and Britten, and then a music theatre piece – Johnny’s Midnight Goggles. Paul Patterson’s Suite for solo cello, Op.62 was written in celebration of Rostropovich’s 60th birthday in 1987. Its four brief contrasting movements are based on Russian themes. The third movement (lacrymosa) is particularly moving – both plaintive and lyrical. The final movement (humoresque) shows the composer’s characteristic sense of fun with its plucked dance-like rhythms. This was a welcome opportunity to hear a rarely performed work.

Jason Yarde has made his name primarily in the jazz world, as both performer and musical director, but he also writes classical music and composes for television. Soliloquies of Solace is a new work commissioned by Oxford Contemporary Music. It is an engaging piece in three episodes, the second and third using a tape loop to build up layers of sound. The music throughout is restless, full of short searching phrases, with rich sonorities in the later sections. The rest of the concert was for me more mixed. The phrasing in Sharp’s performance of Britten’s Cello Suite No.1 I felt lacked precision and direction, though the pizzicato ‘serenata’ was well done. Britten’s three cello suites were written for Rostropovich, and the great cellist’s own recordings of these works set a formidable standard for any musician to match.

The least successful part of the programme was John’s Midnight Goggles by Pete M. Wyer, a zany science fiction fantasy narrated and sung by Sharp, who accompanies himself on the cello. There were some amusing moments but the clichéed plot failed to hold my attention. Sharp’s storyelling was engaging but the material was neither witty enough, nor complex enough. Hopefully the sequel planned for next year will prove more substantial.