Jinyoung Park Kim, Viola; Sonja Park, Piano

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

November 17, 2024

Something special often happens when family members perform together, and a Sunday concert by sisters Jinyoung Park Kim, violist, and Sonja Park, pianist, supported that generalization. There were many moments of oneness, and a warmth of spirit pervaded Weill Hall. Presented by Mannes Prep, where Jinyoung Park Kim teaches, this sold-out concert had a refreshingly large contingent of excited young listeners, many seeming to know one another and some bearing flowers.

This concert was described in the violist’s notes as “a special reunion for Ms. Park Kim as she joins her sister, pianist Sonja Park, on stage.” Indeed, considering that Ms. Park’s piano career in recent years has been based in Doha, Qatar, one guesses that playing together has probably been inconvenient, to say the least; if rehearsals were at all scarce, however, their individual professionalism paired with family bonds carried the day. Both musicians have biographies filled with numerous awards, accolades, and international performances, and both have been instrumental (pun intended) in supporting and cultivating young talent in classical music.

The program was billed fancifully as “Romantic Reveries” – with “Romantic” clearly not referring to the historical era, as the program opened with a viola version of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 3 in C major (BWV 1009); Ms. Kim, however, did take a somewhat Romantic approach in her rendition of this much-loved suite. (This reviewer would opt for that any day over some of the fustiness we sometimes hear in the name of historical fidelity.) Her opening Prelude unfolded expansively, with no taint of the metronome about it but rather some welcome agogics gently emphasizing important metric and cadential points. Her tone was full, warm, and focused. The whole suite was finished in a flash due to the avoidance of repeats (perhaps a decision made with the younger audience members in mind), but a repeat of the first section of the Sarabande allowed some judicious embellishment, and naturally there was the built-in repeat of Bourrée I after Bourrée II.  Many would argue against the condensing of such a great work, but this is not the forum for such involved debate; furthermore, those working with the young these days and having to compete with smartphones for attention must follow their own instincts. The audience – of all ages – was rapt. Ms. Kim’s Gigue simply danced, closing the set with joy.

Music from the actual Romantic era followed as Ms. Kim and Ms. Park joined forces for the Brahms Sonata in E-flat, Op. 120, No. 2. Originally composed for clarinet after being inspired by the great clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld, the viola version was said to have left the composer with some doubts (not unusual, as Brahms excelled in the department of doubt);  we mere mortals, however, are grateful for the increased hearings afforded by this version (as well as other versions). One challenge, though, in performing such a clarinet work with viola involves adjusting the balance given the more contrasting timbres, but fortunately, even with the highly resonant hall Steinway (with the lid wisely set on the half-stick), the viola was never overpowered. One could guess how much restraint was being used overall from the way the piano’s sound penetrated during solo passages.

All in all, the Park-Kim duo projected a strong feeling for this mature and soulful work. Memorable moments included the seamless exchange within phrases in the opening Allegro amabile movement, where one heard the musical equivalent of the two sisters finishing each other’s sentences. Also memorable, in the second movement’s central B-major section, was the way they captured the composer’s characteristic nobility, with Ms. Park setting the tone perfectly. They impressed throughout with their split-second reactions, and in tricky ensemble passages one couldn’t help noticing that the two seemed to need no cues. Plenty were given (even if in a vestigial sort of way), but those seemed more coincidental than causal, as there was already a mutuality verging on telepathy (more effective than nods or gestures)!

After intermission, Ms. Park played two solo piano works, first the Gershwin-Wild Embraceable You and then the Schumann-Liszt Widmung (“Dedication”) in a switch of order from the printed program. On the subject of the printed program itself, this reviewer was surprised to see Embraceable You listed solely as Gershwin. For such music, where more than a workaday arrangement has been made, it seems remiss not to list the arranger/transcriber, in this instance, the late Earl Wild, whose inspired piano version has quite a following. In any case, both transcriptions seemed well-suited to this pianist’s penchant for “romantic reverie” – and, aside from a few minor snags that were well-handled, they were both quite lovely. (To this listener, there could have been more time given to the final Ave Maria section at the end, but Vive la différence!)

The high point of this well-paced program came next in a set of seven pieces from the ballet Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev, arranged for viola and piano – again with an unlisted transcriber, though one is almost certain that it was Vadim Borisovsky. Crediting aside, the duo took this dazzling set through a panoramic journey, starting with its meditative Introduction. They continued theirride through the jaunty pizzicati and harmonics of The Street Awakens and thefeverish energy of Juliet the Young Girl. The famous Dance of the Knights, with its hair-raising viola octaves and stomping piano bass, emerged as epic, and Mercutio, which followed, had just the right wild athleticism. The Balcony Scene and the Death of Juliet brought the program to an emotionally stirring close, with the only signs of fatigue being a minor intonation glitch or two, but those somehow even added further to the pathos of it all. The entranced audience gave a standing ovation.

Encores included a touching Romance by Sang Jin Kim and  – if one heard correctly in the noisy hall – a hymn arrangement made especially for them by James Ra.

Azalea Kelley, piano

Church of the Transfiguration, New York, NY

August 14, 2024

Young Azalea Kelley is already a veteran recital artist and winner of many competitions in the United States and Canada, and has played at Weill, Merkin, Klavierhaus, Steinway Hall, and other distinguished venues in and out of New York City. She comes from a family of accomplished professional musicians and was formerly a student of violin and ballet as well. This recital was presented at the Church of the Transfiguration, familiarly known to New York history buffs as the Little Church Around the Corner, on the date of her 22^nd birthday. For an artist of her tender age, she is already a most impressive and mature player.

Ms. Kelley cuts a poised, graceful, and commanding figure at the keyboard. She plays the piano naturally, as if she were an aquatic life form diving into the water. Despite the strenuous and taxing program she chose, there never once appeared any sign of strain. She plays the instrument with fluid, effortless mechanics, yet has ample force and power, great clarity of fingerwork and attack, a steady, even sense of pulse, and a natural musicality of expression. There were no extraneous physical gestures, no reaching into the galleries for pure virtuoso “wow” effect, no facial contortions like too many of today’s headliners and strivers– just the music.

She opened her program with Beethoven’s 6^th Sonata in F Major, the second of his three Opus 10 sonatas for piano. In this performance she favored the Germanic Beethoven approach of a Rudolf Serkin or Wilhelm Backhaus: an emphasis on the declarative rhetoric and forward motion of the music rather than contemplative underlining or contrasting tinges of light-heartedness. She took most of the repeats. There were many sharply etched moments: a bracing subito sforzando at the sudden faux modulation in bar 16-18 of the first movement; a nicely “lived in” feeling to the fermata at bar 16 in the second movement with an extended damper pedal; and the entirety of the challenging last two pages of the third movement. There, in Beethoven’s jumble of speeding contrary motion passages and virtuoso double octave tremolos, she fearlessly executed the fingerwork with a razor clarity and balanced symmetry of the two hands that would have done credit to a young Pollini.

Next came Chopin’s F-sharp minor Polonaise, Opus 44, a grandiose work that has always existed as a kind of somber heroic twin to the familiar, sunnier A-flat, Opus 53. Ms. Kelley went all in on the thunderingly martial and darkly dramatic elements of this work, pounding out the rhythm without ever banging, cleanly articulating the two-octave right hand octave run in bar 54 as if she possessed the wrists of Horowitz in his performance of this piece. She gave a juicy grand pause to the E major caesura at bar 79 at the lead-in to the A minor “roll of drums” middle section, and then segued to the doppio movimento Mazurka section keeping the forward momentum, without the tension relenting. Not much sunlight in this interpretation, but it was rousing and exciting.

Ms. Kelley piled Pelion on Ossa by following the virtuosic Op. 44 with the equally demanding Opus 61 Polonaise-Fantasie, the last large work for piano that Chopin wrote (he barely composed for the last couple of TB-racked years of his life). Here she shifted gears in her musical approach and relaxed the straight line, giving the first page of the piece a spacious, recitative-like, improvisatory feel. Throughout the rest of the work she unhurriedly brought poetry and varied color to its moody episodes, then escalated to the work’s impassioned climax with some real excitement and abandon.

Until very recently, Mendelssohn’s Fantasy in F-Sharp minor, Op. 28, also known as “Sonate Écossaise” or “the Scottish Sonata”, was rarely placed on recital programs. The pianists of the grand manner era only played his Songs Without Words, Rondo Capriccioso, Scherzo, Op. 16 No. 2, or on occasion his Variations Serieuses. Horowitz, who programmed the latter, once told David Dubal in a radio interview that he thought Mendelssohn was “too neat” as a composer; the serialist Milton Babbitt, on the other hand, opined in an interview late in life that received musical opinion had been “unfair” to Mendelssohn. Today the Scottish Sonata appears regularly in recitals, and Azalea Kelley made a good case for it at the beginning of the second half of her program, marking the double bar ends of its first two movements with longer pauses than they are customarily given (though Mendelssohn wrote each a transitional bar of rest with a fermata, they are generally played attacca). She brought out the quasi-Schumannesque quality of the second movement, and hurtled through the Presto with clearcut yet vertiginous velocity.

Perhaps her most musically compelling performance of the evening, after the Polonaise-Fantasie, was the Chopin B-flat minor Sonata (Ms. Kelley explained in remarks spoken to her audience that Chopin had composed the Funeral March movement first, then the rest of the sonata.). After an exciting, dramatic first movement, she carried the passion into the second movement, but, in the second theme of this second movement, for my taste she made a mistake in pushing the pace and not endowing it with more rubato, delicacy, softer dynamics, and wistfulness of mood, to contrast it with the heroism and robust virtuosic chords and jumps of the first section. The last two movements, however, were triumphs– she brought a plaintive, weeping quality to the familiar opening theme of the funeral march, and the “toccata macabre” of the last movement was suitably sepulchral.

Throughout the recital Ms. Kelley’s playing of the left hand demonstrated an admirable clarity and definition. This has its potential pitfalls. At the beginning of the development section of the first movement of the Beethoven, Op. 10 No. 2 at bar 77, her left hand punched the eighth notes as if they were brass oom-pahs. On the other hand, during the one encore she played, Chopin’s Nocturne, Opus 9 No. 1, the left-hand accompanimental figures were beautifully voiced, gracefully dressing the cantilena of the right hand line without becoming overpresent in the texture. Throughout the evening she had moments where she played with great delicacy and pianissimo, but her playing might speak even more eloquently if she tried introducing those palette colors more consistently into her interpretations, and to use the damper pedal more sparingly in some contexts where the change of sonority might be telling. Perhaps she could afford to take a more plastic approach to tempo and phrasing without losing her basic strengths, and bring some of the rhapsodic and reposeful qualities of her performance of the Polonaise-Fantasie to other works as well.

It should be noted that Ms. Kelley was playing the church’s resident 92-key Bösendorfer, a piano previously owned by the famed conservative commentator William F. Buckley. The treble range was very bright and piercingly loud at times, while the lower midrange strings had a nasal quality. The four keys below the traditional lowest A (some Bösendorfers, have nine extra keys) enhance the sympathetic resonance of the rest of the strings and the plate and soundboard. They also enable the performance of some rare notes in the published literature. For example, Ferruccio Busoni asks for the written G natural below the bottom-most A in the penultimate measure of the fourth movement of his Indianische Tagebuch. The extra keys also make possible low notes that are theoretically implied in some standard repertoire. In the tumultuous bar 49 of Ravel’s Jeux d’Eau, the left hand ends a downward series of G sharps on the lowest A natural, the composer assuming that in the accompanying rush of sound the pitch will not be perceived as nonharmonic. On an extended range Bösendorfer, that note can be played as the harmonically intended G sharp below the range of the 88 key piano.

Bösendorfer, Steinway, or other instrument, it is clear that Ms. Kelley makes a wonderful, musical sound at the piano, and her future is worth watching.

by Mark N. Grant for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Ian Hobson, piano; Andrés Cárdenes, violin; Jun Iwasaki, violin; Csaba Erdélyi, viola; Ko Iwasaki, cello

Tenri Cultural institute, New York, NY

May 10, 2024

The energy was buzzing tonight at the Tenri Cultural Institute – pianist Ian Hobson is back this evening and has once again curated a program of works by composer Robert Schumann, this time featuring exciting chamber works. The house was packed, and the supportive audience was in for a thrilling performance.

The program started with a piano trio titled Phantasiestüke, Op. 88, which featured violinist Jun Iwasaki and cellist Ko Iwasaki. This work, the latest of the three works performed tonight, dates back to 1842, during his chamber music period, but underwent revisions over the years before being published in 1850. Interestingly, the title “Fantasy pieces” is also used for a solo piano work predating this trio.

These brief movements were delightful. The opening movement, Romance, captivated the listeners with its seductive melody and nostalgic undertones. Mr. Hobson skillfully projected Schumann’s introspective melodies, met with responsive interplay from the strings as they intertwined with the piano, which assumed a protagonist role.

In the second movement, Humoreske, the trio starts with rhythmic unison, gradually unfolding into a canonic section. The trio’s sound was robust, maintaining a healthy pulse throughout. Especially noteworthy was the expansive B-section, offering significant contrast, which the trio conveyed generously. The subsequent section surged with ecstatic energy, and the return to the A-section felt invigoratingly fresh.

The third movement, Duett for violin and cello, was poignant. The featured soloists, Jun Iwasaki and Ko Iwasaki played with intimate tenderness and seamless communication. Transitioning to the contrasting fourth movement, Finale, began with a march. However, some of the contrasting sections felt somewhat long-winded, a quality in Schumann that can be a challenge to overcome.

The next piece on the program was the Piano Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 47. This four-movement work featured guest artists Andrés Cárdenes (violin), Csaba Erdélyi (viola), and Ko Iwasaki (cello). The piece begins with a slow introduction (Sostenuto assai), which then transitions to a faster section (Allegro ma non troppo). The performers captured the melancholy of the opening and the improvisatory nature of the faster Allegro, and showcased thoughtful exchange among the instruments. The second movement, Scherzo: Molto vivace – Trio I – Trio II, was dynamic, finely balanced, and imbued with a light character. Moving to the third movement, Andante cantabile, it featured one of Schumann’s most tuneful and emotionally resonant themes. Each member of the ensemble demonstrated a profound affection for this melody, infusing it with deep sentiment every time it recurred. Particularly noteworthy was the viola solo performed by Mr. Erdélyi and the delicate conclusion added to the overall charm of the performance. The concluding movement, Finale: vivace, was overflowing with energy, with its fugal entries even evoking memories of Mr. Hobson’s previous performance, Counterpoints. The ensemble exhibited excellent communication and demonstrated a keen understanding of Schumann’s adept transitions from Baroque elements to Romanticism within the piece—a skill finely executed.

The only work on the second half of tonight’s program was the Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44 – arguably Schumann’s most beloved and well-known chamber work. The exciting first movement, Allegro brilliante, was compelling and performed with gusto. However, during the development section, there was a sense of tentativeness, and an overall heaviness in the pulse made it feel as if it was somewhat dragging.

This work, with its cyclical elements, continues by having the piano lead in to the second movement, In modo d’un marcia, un poco largamente. This somber and austere funeral march was characterized by its placed silences and well-articulated short phrases shared by each member of the ensemble. The contrasting B-section was angelic and revealed a transparent beauty while the tragic C-section was highlighted by dramatic outbursts. The bleak march returns, but this time more fragmented and wearier before ending with a haunting pianissimo chord.

The virtuosic third movement, Scherzo: Molto vivace – Trio I – Trio II, is driven by ascending scales, which the musicians executed with precision and buoyancy, maintaining a consistent pulse without allowing it to falter or accelerate excessively. After a transition to Trio I, defined by a frenetic dance pulse, the ensemble seamlessly returned to the impetuous scale motif, showcasing their command of the composition’s constant rhythmic shifts.

The last movement, Allegro man non troppo, feels almost regal and within it encapsulates the entire work. Its main theme, skeletal yet rhythmically dynamic, harkens back to the world of the first movement. Moreover, the contrasting episodes, built upon the same thematic material, establish a sense of unity in diverse forms. As the main theme from the first movement returns in its fugal state, the ensemble effectively paced this concluding section, heightening the excitement and fervent quality to the forefront – so much so that when the final chords sounded, the audience rose to their feet in applause.

It was a pleasure to hear this fine program at the hands of passionate and giving musicians who are clearly expert chamber music collaborators!

by Walter Aparicio for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Rupert Egerton-Smith, piano

The Kosciuszko Foundation, New York, NY

April 30, 2024

This evening’s concert is part of an exciting season for pianist Rupert Egerton-Smith where, on his first East Coast tour, he has performed at The Church in Sag Harbor, The Lambs, and tonight at the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York City presented by the Alexander & Buono Foundation.

The program, which looked appealing to all kinds of audiences, was in six sections, each meant to represent an important part of the evolution of keyboard writing – from the harpsichord to the jazz idiom. One would probably need several concerts to truly dive deep on this kind of evolutionary journey, but Mr. Egerton-Smith managed to give us a nice sampling from most of the representative styles of keyboard writing.

Mr. Egerton-Smith began with two sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757). These two well-known sonatas are gems among the 555 keyboard sonatas the composer wrote. The Sonata in B minor, K. 27, was played boldly and displayed expert handling of the layered textures and the many hand-crossings. Within this, however, one did seem to want a more tender and supple approach that communicated the longer line. The B-section was much more colorful and handled with care. The second sonata, K. 96 in D major, is nicknamed “La Chasse” because of its allusion to the sounds of hunting horns. Mr. Egerton-Smith communicated this character with clarity and with a sense of joy and a buoyant pulse. The repeated notes and the hands-crossing sections were equally impressive. The B-section explored sonorities and probed at the meaning of these ever-changing harmonies while still exploiting the technical bravura of the work.

Next on the program was a set by Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) – two etudes and one ballade. Mr. Egerton-Smith’s rendering of the two etudes, Op. 10, No. 5 in G-flat major, “Black Key,” and Op. 25, No. 11 in A minor, “Winter Wind,” were both performed with definition and tremendous clarity. It is obvious that Mr. Egerton-Smith has overcome the technical challenges of these demanding etudes, but I was more interested in the poetic side of these works. The “Black Key” was charming and joyful but lacked the pacing it needed to keep the piece afloat. The “Winter Wind” had great sweep and pulse, however, I felt that the performer was holding back, which left me wanting more freedom and abandon from this performance. The larger work was the Ballade No. 3 in A-flat major, Op. 47. The opening of this work is elusive, and Mr. Egerton-Smith was able to capture its mystery and lure the audience into Chopin’s world immediately. By the time we get to the second theme, we hear Mr. Egerton-Smith’s meticulous pedaling – a dryer version which communicated something different and more upbeat than we’re used to hearing. What was lacking again was a more natural sense of pacing and climax. The C-sharp minor section was very impressive but didn’t lead to the heroic transformation of the theme, however, the coda was very well played. It was exciting and ended the piece with great satisfaction.

We stayed in the Romantic Era with the Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118, No. 2, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), one of his late character pieces. This work is a favorite of pianists because of its tender melodies, rich harmonies, and beautiful sentiment. Mr. Egerton-Smith was able to capture all those characteristic qualities that make it uniquely Brahms in this performance.

The last work on the first half of the recital is the movement Ondine from Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55, by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937). Here Mr. Egerton-Smith created a hypnotic atmosphere from the very beginning and the melody that represents the sea nymph Ondine was played hauntingly. The buildup to the climax was exciting and displayed technical mastery. Mr. Egerton-Smith was able to beautifully sculpt the shape of this work and reveal to the audience the magical sonorities and color of the Impressionist style.

Though the first half of this program had wonderful repertoire and some exquisite playing, I was having trouble finding a real throughline from piece to piece. These works are representative of much of the important keyboard writing but I wondered how they connected to the performer and who he was as an artist? And, if the intention was to trace the history of keyboard works, why was the Classical Era omitted? I was left wondering what was in store for the second half. Luckily, it did not disappoint!

Mr. Egerton-Smith began with the Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 36, by Sergey Rachmaninoff (1873-1943). He chose to play the original version from 1913 which he said to find more effective than the reworked version from 1931. This powerful sonata is in three movements and exemplifies the characteristic writing of the late-Romantic era and of Rachmaninoff himself. The first movement, Allegro agitato, begins bombastically and Mr. Egerton-Smith captured the passion and intensity of the first theme magnificently. The nostalgic chorale of the second theme was sensitively played with great nuance, and the esoteric ending was thoughtfully handled. The second movement, Non allegro – Lento was gorgeously played. Mr. Egerton-Smith was even able to skillfully orchestrate and differentiate the many layers written for distinct registers of the piano. The third movement, L’istesso tempo – Allegro molto, however, was the highlight of this work for me tonight. Mr. Egerton-Smith not only was in complete technical command but conveyed the emotional excess of the work as if it were pouring out of him uncontrollably –a tremendous feat!

The final set on the program was a selection of three pieces from Seven Virtuoso Études based on Gershwin Songs. These transcriptions were written by pianist Earl Wild (1915-2010) from the famous tunes of legendary American composer George Gershwin (1898-1937). Étude No. 4 (Embraceable You) had an improvisatory quality, and Mr. Egerton-Smith captured the natural flow and sweep – the main melodic material was well-defined among Wild’s pianistic filigree. A more upbeat number followed in Étude No. 6 (I Got Rhythm). Mr. Egerton-Smith performed this work with complete freedom and enjoyment. This was also true for Étude No. 7 (Fascinatin’ Rhythm), which had élan and a tongue-in-cheek charm, especially in the waltz-like section. After bows, Mr. Egerton-Smith treated us to an improvised encore of Summertime from Porgy & Bess.

Mr. Egerton-Smith is a pianist and musician of the highest caliber. The second half of the program, in particular, showcased his deep connection to the repertoire, resulting in a generous and memorable experience for the listeners. I eagerly anticipate future performances by Mr. Egerton-Smith, hoping for the same electrifying energy that illuminated tonight’s second half, perhaps through more daring and innovative programming choices.

by Walter Aparicio for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Ian Hobson, piano

Tenri Cultural institute, New York, NY

May 3, 2024

This evening’s performance showcased pianist Ian Hobson performing a program featuring music exclusively by Robert Schumann (1810-1856). The program, titled Counterpoints, presented works that were composed between 1836 and 1853.

The first piece was Scherzo, Gigue, Romanza, und Fughette, Op. 32. Each movement was portrayed with a clear and distinct character by Mr. Hobson, and he maintained unity by emphasizing the continuous dotted rhythms throughout the work. Particularly notable was the third movement, Romanze, which embodied Schumann’s signature blend of heroism and passion. Mr. Hobson navigated its contrasting B-section with tender precision, seamlessly returning to the main thematic material. The final movement, Fughette, was surprisingly emotive and beautifully handled by Mr. Hobson.

Next was a set of four fugues, Vier Fugen, Op. 72, from 1845. It’s always interesting when a composer other than J.S. Bach sets out to write a fugue – one wonders about their fidelity to the form and the extent to which they retain their own style. At this time, Schumann was deeply engrossed in the study of Bach’s fugues, and it appears he remained faithful to the form. Mr. Hobson skillfully delineated each voice while also capturing the introspective and wandering quality inherent in these fugues, particularly in the first one. The second fugue had great energy and the ending was particularly exciting when the organ-like dominant pedal points emerged. The third fugue proved to be the most Schumannesque – it highlighted the characteristic ambiguity that is present in much of his music. Mr. Hobson worked beautifully with the harmonic tension of the highly chromatic lines to communicate the expression (ausdrucksvoll) the piece demanded. The fourth piece was charming and played with great care.

The second half of the program began with another lesser-known work, Sieben Stücke in Fughettenform (Seven Pieces in Fugue Form), Op. 126, from 1853. These compositions served as counterpoint exercises for Schumann himself, and perhaps he didn’t originally intend for them to be performed on the concert stage. However, they possess a striking beauty, and I’m grateful that Mr. Hobson chose to share these works with us tonight. Despite their brevity, each piece managed to convey a rich emotional world, and Mr. Hobson’s performance skillfully brought out their essence, with a lush sound and meticulous attention to each entrance. Number IV. Lebhaft was particularly interesting as it had a wonderful rhythmic drive. Number VI. Sehr Schnell almost seemed modern and Number VII. Langsam, ausdrucksvoll communicated an obscure austerity.

The final piece on the program was Kriesleriana, Op. 16 – a staple in the piano repertoire. To hear his work among the more underperformed repertoire was fascinating – one can make the connections to counterpoint and where Schumann’s interests were at the time. Tonight Mr. Hobson performed the original version which Clara Schumann herself edited and performed because “it is wilder.” And wild it was!

Each of the eight movements alternates between moments of furious drama and dream-like reverie—some reminiscent of Florestan, others of Eusebius. Mr. Hobson expertly created contrast while still sustaining the intrigue in the fantasy aspect of the piece. The first movement, Äußerst bewegt (Extremely animated), began boldly, plunging us into the heart of the drama. Mr. Hobson played with a spontaneity fitting for a movement of such intensity. The connections to counterpoint were unmistakably apparent in the contrasting middle section. The pensive second movement, Sehr innig und nicht zu rasch (Very inwardly and not too quickly) had a good flow which can be a challenge due to the length of this movement with its repeats. The return to the A-section was particularly special. The following movement, Sehr aufgeregt (Very agitated), had a heroic character from the outset which ended with an exciting flourish handled with bravura. The fourth movement, Sehr langsam (Very slowly), presents another challenge in terms of pacing. This movement could have been helped with perhaps a more fantasy-like approach. However, the B-section was beautifully sculpted and the return to the A-section was a revelation.

Another highly contrapuntal movement is the fifth, Sehr lebhaft (Very lively), characterized by its moody shifts and long-note entrances. While Mr. Hobson captured the essence of the work, a more grounded pulse and suppler sense of the syncopated counterpoint would have enhanced the performance.

Movement six, Sehr langsam (Very slowly) was among my favorites of the evening. Mr. Hobson communicated with a generosity and honesty that was deeply moving. The final movement of this phenomenal work is entitled Schnell und spielend (Fast and playful). This final piece of this remarkable work was delivered with abandon, providing a satisfying conclusion to the evening.

Typically, programs featuring only one composer are not ones I tend to seek out. However, this evening had a specific idea that was very thoughtfully curated – counterpoints. As the program went on, the audience was invited to create relationships between the works, Schumann’s life at the time and his connection to counterpoint and his study of fugues- and not only that, but Mr. Hobson also treated us to a program full of passion, vigor, and commitment.

He will be performing another all-Schumann recital on Friday, May 10 also at the Tenri Cultural Institute. Do not miss this remarkable musician!

by Walter Aparicio for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Fall of the Weimar Republic: Dancing on the Precipice
David Witten, piano; Christine Lamprea, cello; Sue-Ellen Hershman-Tcherepnin, flute; Michael Roth, violin
Italian Academy – Columbia University, New York, NY
March 6, 2024

In the tumultuous aftermath of World War I, the Weimar Republic emerged as a melting pot of artistic innovation, and its music became an important reflection of the era’s social upheaval and cultural transformation. Deep in the exuberance of the 1920s and early 1930s, the music of the Weimar Republic encapsulates a unique blend of influences, from avant-garde experimentation to works that directly referenced political turmoil.

Tonight’s program featured four composers whose careers were thriving in the vibrant cultural scene of the Weimar Republic. Their musical expression was closely tied to the immediate social transformations of the time, especially those composers who fled in the mid-1930s due to the looming threat of the Nazi takeover.

The first piece on the program for solo piano was the Piano Sonata (1924) by Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971). This work had its world premiere at the Donaueschingen Summer Music Festival (Donaueschingener Musiktage), the first European festival dedicated to contemporary music. However, this is a work that saw Stravinsky heading in a new direction. The “neo-Baroque” style is apparent- pianist David Witten described it as “Bach with a head cold.” The lean writing in the first movement was handled with care and the sinewy lines were played with a suppleness that one craves in Baroque writing. As Mr. Witten stated, Stravinsky “atones for his sins” of dissonance and angularity in the final cadence. The second movement reminds one of an arioso of Bach, perhaps a nod to the Italian Concerto, BWV 971. The improvisatory quality came through with the constant pulse of the left-hand and the florid right-hand lines. However, this could have benefited from a calmer pacing. The third movement soared with a two-voice counterpoint throughout – the final long pedal tone, another Baroque technique, led us to the end where Stravinsky leaves the listener in a satisfying state of tonal harmony.

The next composer, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968), was an Italian-born composer who dedicated much of his life to being a film composer after he fled Europe to the United States in the early 1930s. The pieces performed tonight are titled Greeting Cards – they are musical “cryptograms”- each dedicated to a friend of his. Mr. Witten was joined by cellist Christine Lamprea for the first piece, Valse for Violoncello and Piano on the name of Gregor Piatigorsky (1954). The piece was tender and haunting, and Ms. Lamprea communicated clarity of tone and the sensuousness of the dance beautifully, and, of course, the nod to Tchaikovsky was a cheeky sorbet among some of the more adventurous harmonies. The following four works were for solo piano. Für Erna (1956) was played with warmth and had rich and surprising harmonies – a short and sweet homage. The following piece was more substantial, Etude on the name of Jacob Gimpel (1955) where Mr. Witten describes the melodic theme tainted by a dissonant note, as if it were a magnet leading the listener there. This etude was performed with command where the right hand’s whirling figures could be seen as romantic and cinematic. The ending communicated a mystical feeling. Ninna Nanna (Cradle Song) (1952) is not a “Greeting Card” but a lovely canonic lullaby – a sensitive performance. The final piece on the first half of the program was La torre del diavolo (1960). This dramatic piece had thoughtful pacing and effective rumbles from the bass.

After a short intermission, we were treated to three pieces by Paul Ben-Haim (1897-1974), a German composer who also fled Europe to Tel Aviv in 1933. Much of his composition is inspired by and references Jewish and Sephardic music traditions. Mr. Witten was joined by flutist Sue-Ellen Hershman-Tcherepnin for these three pieces. The first, Arioso, had a drone accompaniment in the piano which was heartbreaking, perhaps personifying the weariness of a summer’s day – the flute melody had a languid quality and was performed by Ms. Hershman-Tcherepnin with ease. Ballad was hypnotic and the rhetorical elements of the oral tradition of storytelling were clearly communicated in the flute part. Sephardic Melody is based on a traditional folk tune from the Sephardic-Jewish tradition. It had a melismatic, guttural, and free cadenza which communicated an ancient quality in the music with a mournful tone. The improvisatory and decorative piano part was played with great freedom but never sacrificing ensemble – it was a very moving piece.

The final selection on the program was another work that was premiered at the Donaueschingen Summer Music Festival, the Concerto da Camera, Op. 33, by Alexander Tcherepnin (1899-1977). This evening it was performed as a trio with violin, flute and piano as arranged by the composer himself. Mr. Witten was joined by Michael Roth on violin and once again by Sue-Ellen Hershman-Tcherepnin on flute.

The first movement, Allegro maestoso, had lean writing and a unison rhythm. The ensemble was committed to communicating the drama of the work although every now and then the pulse became somewhat unclear. The contrasting section was more playful. This short movement ended suddenly with a dramatic restatement of the main theme. The second movement, Andantino, had a somber opening and the interplay between the parts was the feature. The repeated metronomic rhythm in the violin and flute seemed to communicate the monotony of time. This dark and humorless movement was quite effective. In contrast, the third movement, Vivace, was full of energy. The work was performed with a subtle severity which could have been exploited even more. The middle section had an eerie nostalgia performed with great sway, and the unassuming ending worked very well. The last movement, Allegro molto, had great rhythmic vitality and the ensemble was able to display virtuosity and convey the dissonances in a compelling way.

This performance of works from the era of the Weimar Republic is an excellent example of why musicians should continue to explore new works constantly. Aside from the Piano Sonata by Stravinsky, all these works were new to this reviewer, and I’m sure as well to many of the audience present this evening. The commitment to this music by David Witten is admirable and I look forward to hearing more works by these composers performed by him and his colleagues. It is also exciting that the festival Fall of the Weimar Republic: Dancing on the Precipice curated by Carnegie Hall will be ongoing until May. I hope to be able to attend some of those concerts in the near future. Bravo to all!

Walter Aparicio

Xiao Chen, piano, and Xenia Deviatkina-Loh, violin

May 15, 2023

Recognizing, performing, and recording works of under-represented composers is a popular and welcome trend now; the hope being that their proliferation will gain acceptance into the canon of standard repertoire. Duo X² has realized a dream in their recording of works by women composers. This selection showcases music written in the 21^st century by extremely accomplished women hailing from differing cultural heritages.

The video recording can be viewed on YouTube: A Celebration of Women Composers. Each track brings the listener into a unique world, from Chen Yi’s Chinese diaspora (From Old Peking Folklore) to Ellen Taffe Zwilich’s eclectic expression (Episodes for Violin and Piano). Some of the composers wrote pieces as a reaction to global events, such as Gillian Whitehead’s Tōrua, written in the wake of the destruction of the February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, and Jessie Montgomery’s Peace, a reflection composed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other works on this recording include Impulse by Franghiz Ali-Zaden, Memories by Michiro Oshima, Ara Ri Yo by Eun Young Lee, and Speak, Memory, by Lera Auerbach, which shares its title with Vladimir Nabokov’s critically acclaimed memoir.

Duo X² delivers a crystalline accuracy in their highly refined ensemble playing; they are consummate professionals whose commitment to excellence is evident throughout this recording. Xenia Deviatkina-Loh possesses a toolbox of comprehensive technical skills: finger pizzicato, intricate bowing, and mastery of intonation in the extremely high registers. Xiao Chen displays a deep understanding of the transparent textures, playing with clarity and brilliant rhythmic backbone. The two musicians are consistently successful in achieving balance.

The only distraction seemed to be in the sound engineering. Often the audible breathing was too present in the violin part, possibly a result of microphone placement. In addition, between each selection was dead air as opposed to an ambient sound to connect the music.

While the music in this recording is by no means “easy listening,” the performances are riveting and a worthy addition to the continuing mission of expansion and inclusion.

Alexandra Eames

Christopher James, cello

Lynelle James, piano

Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

 April 27, 2023

Brother and sister Christopher James and Lynelle James follow a time-honored tradition of siblings collaborating as musicians, and while they each enjoy active careers as individuals, there was no shortage of synergy between them in this recital. Hailing from a large extended family of fine professional musicians, one could imagine that respect for the score, attention to phrasing, and good musical taste were as much a part of their upbringing as keeping their rooms tidy or proper table manners. This concert was dedicated to the memory of their mother, pianist Robelyn Schrade and their uncle Randolph Schrade, also a pianist.

The program opened with two sonatas: the Debussy and Schubert’s “Arpeggione”. The slightly austere approach to the Debussy was effective in demonstrating the composer’s foray into a more modern style, with its transparent textures. Particularly striking was the interplay of pizzicato cello and staccato piano in the second movement. In the Schubert, the duo selected slower tempi than usual; this created a more plaintive atmosphere and allowed for more lyricism in the treacherously high registers in the cello part. The third movement which is often played in a more headlong fashion, had more of the necessary Viennese dance character in this relaxed tempo.

The first half of the program concluded on an extroverted note with Chopin’s Introduction and Grand Polonaise Brilliante. Despite Chopin’s admiration for the cello, this was the pianist’s moment in the sun. Lynelle James is a powerhouse of a pianist, with dexterous ability to execute the glittering scales and double thirds with grace and panache.

The second part of the concert began with the little-known Five Preludes for solo piano by the Ukrainian-born Nikolai Roslavets. Here Lynelle continues to demonstrate her considerable mastery in bringing out the many colors and textures in this dense and complex writing, reminiscent of late Scriabin and Szymanowski. After her solo, it was Christopher’s turn to lend his single voice in the Prelude from Bach’s C minor Suite. While playing an excerpt from a complete work seemed slightly out of place in this program, he embraced the acoustics of the hall and delivered a dark and brooding performance. Christopher James is a musician of deep intensity and integrity, and while not a showy player, he has all the equipment to serve the technical demands of the music.

The beloved Sonata by César Franck has become as familiar in its transcription for cello as for the original violin. Highlights of the Jameses rendering were the refreshingly light pedaling in the second movement, which is so often played too heavily, and the soulful cello recitatives in the third movement. The excitement in the conclusion of the final movement was almost uncontainable, and the rapt audience rewarded the duo with warm and well-deserved enthusiasm.

by Alexandra Eames for New York Concert Review; New York, N.Y.