Carlos Perez, guitar

Carlos Perez, guitar
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
March 18, 2010

Guitarist Carlos Perez, a native of Chile, presented a potpourri of composers from Bach to Rodrigo on his recital. He performed entirely from memory. Rodrigo’s Elogio de la Guitarra is wonderfully inventive, and Perez played it with much flavor and zest¸ and with spontaneity of tempo and spirit. Another highlight of the program was the inventive, captivating and technically demanding Tarentella by David Pavlovits. Pavlovitz is a young Hungarian composer and guitarist (one can tell he plays guitar because his work is so idiomatic for the instrument) whose work is inspired by the folklore of South-Eastern Europe. Perez played the piece with both depth of character and technical accomplishment.

In Carulli’s Deux Andantes (No. 1 and 3), Op. 320, Perez showed a wide variety of color, and the pieces were exquisitely rendered. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 4 in E-flat is not really suited to guitar, as one misses the sustained sound of the cello and its dynamic range. Antonio Lauro’s Three Pieces could have used more contrast as well, although the Romanza was perfect in its detail. Four Chilean Folk Songs could not have been played with a more natural affinity for the style. Earlier in the program, I occasionally wished for more definition in the phrasing, but here, Perez brought a lovely shape to all of them, especially to Parabienes—Ya se casaron los novios, where a captivating, gradual decrescendo had me searching for the fading sonorities at the edge of my seat.

Perez has issued ten CDs, two DVDs, and recorded at several European radios, and he has given recitals in over thirty countries in North, Central, and South America as well as Europe. He has played at the Berlin Philarmonie, the Auditorio Nacional in Spain, and England’s Royal Festival Hall among others. We look forward to his next recital here in New York. No doubt, he has much to offer the guitar community.

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by Anthony Aibel  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

University of Louisville Grawemeyer Players

University of Louisville Grawemeyer Players
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
March 9, 2010

After a fascinating and thorough pre-concert lecture by composer Augusta Read Thomas,
in which she discussed the relevance and mission of classical contemporary concert music and how the University of Louisville School of Music’s Grawemeyer Award— celebrating an important 25th Anniversary—has helped and could help foster this mission, several faculty members from the school assembled to perform music by current and past Grawemeyer Award winners.

Lutoslawski won in 1985 and wrote Grave (Metamorphoses) for cello and piano in 1981. The performers here, cellist Paul York and pianist Krista Wallace-Boaz, performed this first-rate work admirably, with pacing and a good eye for the overall structure. The Little Predicament “A kis csava” (1978) by Gyorgy Kurtag, who won in 2006, is comprised of four short pieces which are outrageously humorous— all the more comical due to its clever scoring of piccolo¸ trombone and guitar. The performers, Kathleen Karr on piccolo, guitarist Stephen Mattingly, and trombonist Brett Shuster played with unity of ensemble—although Shuster, who has a great sound, had some trouble producing the work’s difficult high notes.

Sebastian Currier, 2007 Grawemeyer winner, composed Verge in1997, and there is no shortage of humor and ingenuity in this clever array of nine (almost ten) movements, which have titles like Almost Too Fast, Almost Too Slow, Almost Too Little (only about 10 seconds long), Almost Too Much, etc. The latter is the climactic piece, with a consistently exciting, pulsating drive. The last, Almost Too Calm, is a fitting close despite its slow tempo, because it reaches a sublime, stratospheric peak that is exquisitely beautiful. Pianist Wallace-Boaz, violinist J. Patrick Rafferty, and clarinetist Dallas Tidwell played the work very well, although Rafferty—while very talented—played with a tentative sound this evening.

Peter Lieberson, who won in 2008, had 3 Songs from his Rilke Songs performed by outstanding soprano Edith Davis Tidwell and her fine pianist Naomi Oliphant. There is some Mahlerian influence in the melodic writing and it sometimes uniquely combines with a piano left-hand that is almost jazz-like. Three Caprichos after Goya, written by 2009 winner Brett Dean, are three delightful and well-crafted pieces for solo guitar. It was performed by Stephen Mattingly, who played this work without much imagination or depth of dynamics (his instrument didn’t resonate enough.)

Klangzeichen (2003), the wind quintet with piano composed by this year’s winner, York Holler (born 1944), was given an absolutely polished, dynamic and riveting performance by Karr on flute, oboist Jennifer Potochnic, Tidwell on clarinet, Bruce Heim on horn, and bassoonist Matthew Karr. The work is skillfully written for sustained or chiming piano against fast, double-tonguing wind-playing; the parts often switch roles, with much interchange. The tension and even clashing among the various parts symbolize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and an old Hebrew melody, which was previously complicated and fragmented, becomes touchingly simple and innocent towards the end, with a tribute to the children of the two lands. Unfortunately, the composers were unavailable to hear their music on this occasion; it was an important evening for live contemporary concert music.

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by Anthony Aibel  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony

The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony
David Bernard, conductor

 

Sirena Huang, violin

 

All Saints Church, New York, NY

 

February 7, 2010

 

The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony

 

Sirena Huang was the featured soloist, and despite her fifteen years of age, she played Saint-Saens’ Third Violin Concerto like a seasoned pro. Not only did Sirena confidently “nail” the difficult notes in the stratosphere of her instrument and play with a beautifully resonant sound, she winningly captured the essence of this brilliant French score. The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony’s talented Music Director, David Bernard, held things together very well, but he needs more rehearsal time to work on the pitch of the winds, as chords in the second movement were significantly out of tune. This was also true of the chords in the first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony—before the recapitulation. Still, there were many things to admire in this performance of the Fifth. For one, there was excellent precision of ensemble in the notoriously tricky first movement, with all its off-beat entrances. One also felt and heard the players’ emotional commitment throughout the symphony. I also really liked Bernard’s emphasis of the first movement’s famous four-note motive when it appears in the horns two or four times slower than normal (as augmentation). 

I did find it very unusual that on the third fermata of the first movement opening, in which the first violins sustain a high G, some violinists—on two different occasions—also held the B-natural, which, traditionally, is only a part of the chord’s roll. Tempo-wise, the last movement Allegro was faster than usual—it was refreshing to hear, although the strings sometimes struggled with the pace. The third movement Scherzo, on the other hand, sounded slower than usual; Beethoven’s Allegro indication (not to mention his metronome marking), was ignored in this performance—but many agree that Beethoven hastily added some of his metronome markings in order to accommodate his publisher. Wagner’s Prelude to Act III of “Lohengrin”, which was placed on the second half before the Beethoven, was played with unabashed exuberance—as it should be. Food for thought: as it is so extremely short, I wonder how it would have fit on the first half, immediately prior to the Overture to “Die Fledermaus”, which opened the program. The Strauss—like the Wagner—was performed with an immensely appealing flair. 

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by Anthony Aibel  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York – “Music on Canvas, 57×7”

Distinguished Concerts International New York
“Music on Canvas, 57×7”
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
January 23, 2010

An enjoyable presentation of music and art—and even fashion—entitled: “Music on Canvas, 57×7” took place on January 23rd at… (Actually, the numbers in the title cleverly indicate the concert’s location, so take a guess.) (Yet…you’ve probably already seen the location listed in the above heading, so never mind.) Anyway, while we listened to music sung by the delightful Amy Buckley and Kirsten Allegri, we were afforded the luxury of seeing portraits by talented artist Stef-Albert Bothma. Bothma has a unique style to his paintings—several of them portraits of composers on the program—and they are brilliant in their use of color and chiaroscuro (light-dark contrasts). I recommend that you take a look at his website to peruse his work: www.stefalbertstudios.com. Slides of his paintings lingered tastefully on screen and appropriately back-dropped the music—never flashing at a quick pace to distract us from the performances. After the concert, the audience was treated to a viewing of his originals.

Allegri and Buckley frequently perform individually but also as the duo “Canzone”, and one could instantly recognize the chemistry between them. Mozart’s “Via Resti..” from “Figaro” had more than the requisite comedy and charm, and technically they have the goods as well: “Pur ti miro” from “Poppea” was sung with excellent intonation, a matching vibrato, and a unified eye for peaks of phrase. Kirsten Allegri went solo with both sincerity and elegance in Korngold’s lush and inspired “Lieder des Abschieds”. Her rendering of Bernstein’s “I Am Easily Assimilated” from “Candide” was carefree and sexy, with exceptionally funny accents. Buckley’s solo turn in Rachmaninoff songs displayed her stunningly accurate and beautiful high range.

Bothma’s improvisations on “Carmen” and on Gershwin melodies show promise, but editing might be welcome: they ramble on a bit, and some harmonies and key shifts were awkward. He tends to over-pedal at the piano–obscuring some melodic lines–but his solo octave-playing was impressively virtuoso-like. Bothma’s beautiful artwork wasn’t the only stunning visual aspect to this unique program; the ladies were splendidly and varyingly gowned in several different Alecia Zameska designs that seemed tailor-made for the music at hand. (I never comment on wardrobe, so trust me that this made an impression.) One example was Buckley’s eye-catching dress accompanied by a diamond necklace in a sparkling performance of “Glitter and Be Gay” from “Candide”. Her great comic timing didn’t hurt either.

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by Anthony Aibel  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Continuum: Celebrating Ursula Mamlok

Merkin Concert Hall, New York, NY
January 13, 2010

Ursula Mamlok Photo Credit Simon Pauly

 Continuum’s commemoration of Ursula Mamlok’s 87th birthday spanned the 50 years of her journey as a composer. And this revealing concert showed us that this important composer was steadfastly devoted to her unique style, which for the most part follows serialism. Due to inclement weather and the hardship of travel, Ms. Mamlok was unfortunately unable to attend this concert and tribute. She would have been greatly touched by the numerous reflections and anecdotes of her friends and acquaintances. Though she is an urbanite, her connections to the natural world are a continual thread that permeates her oeuvre. That thread was beautifully interwoven by Continuum’s directors, Cheryl Seltzer and Joel Sachs. From the first note of Ulla Suokko’s poignant, impassioned presentation of the demanding solo pieces “Arabesque for Flute” (1960) and “Variations for Solo Flute” (1961) to the intricate ensemble-piece “Girasol” (1990), the performers and audience remained captivated in the microcosms of sound that enveloped them. Whether the subject matter was a bird or a flower, the performers were able to reach inside the material and extract Mamlok’s experience. Fragility and humor were included in each inward journey.

The “Rhapsody” (1989), cohesively and serenely presented by pianist Cheryl Seltzer, clarinetist Moran Katz, and violist Stephanie Griffin, revealed a world of light hidden within the dark palette of the viola and clarinet. Joel Sachs’ presentation of “Sculpture” (1964) captured the suspended stillness embedded in this work; though the opening was colored in dark, sinister tones rife with anxiety, the work slowly calms to a quiet curiosity. An irregular yet delicate dance came across in the “The Love Song of Two Pigeons” (1991), another world premiere; Mr. Sachs created a stunning web of sound to support the challenging demands. Stephanie Griffin’s quiet energy captured the beauty of “From My Garden” (1983). With the skill and insight acquired over a lifetime of artistry, Mamlok produces a sublime rendering of biological wonders, without cliché.

In “Confluences” (2001), a Continuum commission performed by clarinetist Moran Katz, violinist  Renee Jolles, cellist Joanne Lin and pianist Cheryl Seltzer, the poignancy of the music was captured with expression and outstanding clarity. The String Quartet No.2 (1998), with its contrasting themes and colors passed among the performers in continuous conversation, was carefully rendered by Renee Jolles and Airi Yoshioka, violinists; violist Stephanie Griffin and cellist Joanne Lin.  This extraordinary program closed with a witty and enjoyable performance by clarinetists Charles Neidich and Ayako Oshima in the world premiere of the latest Ursula Mamlok composition: “Aphorisms II” for Clarinet Duo (2009). Their playful interchanges fashioned a delightful coda to this significant celebration of Ursula Mamlok.

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by Anthony Aibel  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Despite snow, Ax and Bell recitals attract large audiences to Carnegie Hall

Despite a huge snow storm and a prediction of one, people came out in droves to the large Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall to see Emanuel Ax and Joshua Bell. In many ways, violin and piano recitals sound best in smaller, more intimate spaces for which they were intended, but Ax and Bell sell lots of tickets and they need a space that can meet demands. On February 10th, 2010, Manhattan received about 10 inches of snow—not nearly as much as Washington D.C. got the week before—but nonetheless, it was enough to potentially scare people away. Good thing Emanuel Ax has such a great following; the many that attended were treated to a 200th Anniversary celebration of Chopin and Schumann’s birth. Ax was at his best in music by Chopin: the Polonaise-fantaisie in A-flat, the Andante spianato and Grand Polonaise, and especially three Mazurkas: the op 41, No. 1 in C-sharp Minor; the Op. 24, No. 2 in C Major and the Op. 56, No. 3 in C Minor. The young Brit Thomas Ades wrote three mazurkas of his own for the occasion, and they are charming—although they don’t really sound like mazurkas. The first one was almost a carbon copy of Prokofiev, but the last two were quite inventive, with unusual leaps and harmonies. Throughout the program, Ax often used his soft-pedal, and his subdued, semi-passionate performances of Schumann’s Fantasiestucke and Fantasy in C Major lacked some grandeur and spontaneity in faster passages. His encore, the Chopin Waltz in A minor, was also one of his more automatic-pilot performances. Maybe his performance inadvertently hurried as a result of subconsciously and altruistically wanting people to get home after a stormy day. (I know; it’s a stretch)

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by Anthony Aibel  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

“Houston, We Have a Problem”

January 28, 2010 at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

If any orchestra should tour with Holst’s “The Planets”, the Houston Symphony should—due to its relationship with NASA and the Johnson Space Center. But a film experiment directed by Duncan Copp called “The Planets: an HD Odyssey” didn’t work: the space images and video, though extraordinarily clear and beautiful, were too generic for Holst’s mythical descriptions of the planets and our own imaginations that inevitably follow. It was like experiencing an orchestra play James Horner’s riveting music to the film

“Titanic” while watching real under-water pictures of the sunken ship. One is reality; the other delves into story-telling.

In the future, a few actual stills of a planet could be shown at the beginning of each movement of the suite, and the remainder should focus on the music and the orchestra with the lights up (the players were hardly visible). In terms of future video accompaniment, I’d rather watch close-ups of the Houston performers playing this fantastically detailed score. On the other hand, the Houston Symphony, which sounded less-than-stellar in “The Planets”, might want to make some changes; there were several unclear attacks and missed notes from the trumpets and horns, and the playing as a whole lacked tonal refinement and a robust symphonic sound. The orchestra’s music director, Hans Graf, led light, airy performances of Stravinsky’s “Scherzo fantastique” and “Fireworks”, which book-ended the program, and Dutilleux’s “Timbres, espace, mouvement, ou La Nuit etoilee” was given a dedicated performance, with the orchestra’s fine cello and bass sections sounding strong and well-blended.

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by Anthony Aibel  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Gilbert’s Seamless Schumann

Gilbert’s Seamless Schumann

On December 30th, 2009, The New York Philharmonic, with Alan Gilbert conducting, gave one of the greatest performances of Schumann’s Second Symphony you will ever hear. Why? Not only was it executed with a beautiful, polished sound by all the sections in the orchestra, but the interpretation was extremely honest to the extent that every musical gesture was in tune with the composer and his score. Exaggeration and showmanship are words associated with past conductors at the Philharmonic, and if anything, we heard the opposite: some of Schumann’s tempo changes were conducted so seamlessly–with such subtlety–that they almost went unnoticed. The first movement was jovial but intense; the Scherzo was played with a controlled jauntiness; the Adagio espressivo movement was played with a sincere tenderness, and the finale was simply glorious. The New York Philharmonic and Alan Gilbert make a case that Schumann’s Second Symphony is one of the greatest symphonies of all time. Let’s hope they perform this work often.

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by Anthony Aibel  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Quintessential Gershwin at the Philharmonic

Quintessential Gershwin at the Philharmonic

On December 31st, 2009, conductor Alan Gilbert wisely let the New York Philharmonic do their thing (and that swing) in Gershwin’s “American in Paris”, as the orchestra—due to its long history with the work– can possibly play it like they play Bernstein’s “Candide Overture”: that is without a conductor. But I exaggerate a bit; some of the tricky tempo changes, balances and juxtapositions of rhythm need to be negotiated smoothly by a conductor with taste. Gilbert impressively accomplished that, and the end result was the quintessential performance of “An American in Paris”.

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by Anthony Aibel  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Continuum

Continuum
Canadian Music – The New Individualists
Americas Society, New York, NY
December 8, 2009

In the first concert of its 44th New York season, Continuum did one of the things it does best: explore important, talented composers who are relatively unknown in this country. Music of Canada was presented in a program entitled “Northern Exposures: Canadian Music—The New Individualists.”  I came away from this program thinking that Canadian composers are indeed unique and tend to go their separate ways.

This concept of originality was exemplified by the U.S. Premiere of Paul Frehner’s deceivingly-titled work, Slowdown, from 2004. It’s a brilliantly-written, frenzied trio for not just one pianist, not two, but yes, three pianists at one keyboard. The idea of three pianists sitting together is pretty inventive, but the way he slows the momentum of the piece into a kind of improvisatory state is where the real imagination lies. The Other recently composed U.S. premieres that backed-up the Canadian individualist theory were Ana Sokolovic’s portrait parle for piano trio, an original and inspired work depicting the physiognomy of the face; Jocelyn Morlock’s Curvilinear  uniquely scored piece for solo accordion, inspired by ancient folk music; and Michael Oesterle’s Sunspot Letters, a first-rate work that evokes Galileo’s writings.

New York Premieres included Linda Catlin Smith’s Mois qui tremblais from 1999, a hypnotic, profound work for violin, bass drum, and piano in which the musicians perform from an annotated text of Rimbaud. Andrew Staniland’s Blue (2008), is a poignant work based on a poem by Walt Whitman; Tajikistan-born Farangis Nurulla-Khoja’s Blind Flower, written for Continuum in 2008, draws up highly original musical tone colors; and Melissa Hui’s Wish You Were Here (2003), is an Asian-inspired meditation for flute, cello, percussion, and piano that was beautifully exotic and memorable.

The perennial top-of-the-line artists included the pianists and co-directors Cheryl Seltzer and Joel Sachs, violinist Renee Jolles, clarinetist Moran Katz, the flutist Ulla Suokko, mezzo-soprano Abigail Fischer, William Schimmel on accordion, oboist Toni Marie Marchioni, violist Stephanie Griffin, cellist Karen Ouzounian, percussionist Jared Soldiviero, and pianist Shahan Arzruni.

This free concert is without a doubt one of the greatest musical holiday gifts to New Yorkers. We learned more about Canadian composers and Canada itself, but also were enchanted and enlightened by the beauty, excitement and great diversity of Canadian music.

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by Anthony Aibel  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY