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Gil Sullivan, Pianist in Review

Gil Sullivan, Piano

MidAmerica Productions Presents: Gil Sullivan, piano

Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

December 16, 2013

Gil Sullivan and Julian Cochran

In a program presented by MidAmerica productions, Australian pianist Gil Sullivan offered a program of Mozart, Brahms, and works by his compatriot, Julian Cochran. The globetrotting Mr. Sullivan sports an impressive resume, with appearances in many of the world’s most renowned halls.

Opening with Mozart’s Sonata in F major, K. 533/494, the double Köchel number referring to the Rondo finale being composed well before the first two movements, Mr. Sullivan gave ample proof that his sterling reputation as a interpreter of Mozart is well deserved. He offered a performance that explored the depths of one of Mozart’s most profound piano works with restrained, careful rendering and especial attention to matters of tone and phrasing. After the Mozart, Mr. Sullivan played four works (with a break for intermission after the first two) by fellow Australian Julian Cochran.

Julian Cochran (b. 1974) was born in Cambridge, England, but immigrated to Australia in 1978. Mr. Cochran is a mathematician specializing in Pure Mathematics, but has dedicated his talents more fully now towards music, as both a pianist and a composer. When one hears mathematician and composer in the same sentence, it is not at all unreasonable to think of names like Babbitt and Xenakis, and to expect a similarity of style with a mathematical base. Such was not the case. The multi-talented Mr. Cochran is a throwback to the Romantic and Impressionistic traditions of the piano, using the musical language of Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, and Ravel, amongst others, in a highly individualistic, non-derivative manner. On the program were two Preludes and two Mazurkas from his pen.

Prelude No.7 (2010) is a work that has a theme that with a distinctly Romanian-inspired folk feeling. Variations on this theme are done in a similar folk style, building to a powerful climax with bell-like sounds that slowly fade into silence. In his notes about Prelude No. 8 (2010), the composer makes reference to the nature of the ocean and the swirling opening subject. I was reminded of Ondine from Gaspard de la Nuit, but with the additional twists hearkening back to motifs of Liszt, Debussy, and even Rachmaninoff. It is a work that is alternately serene and unsettled, glistening and turbulent. It builds to a brilliant climax, and then recedes into a quiet ending. Much like Ondine, this work requires a formidable technique, which Mr. Sullivan possesses. It was an outstanding performance of a striking work and a fine ending to the first half.

After intermission, next up were Mazurkas Nos.4 and 5. Mazurka No. 4 (2009) is a work that could be called Chopin’s Nightmare. It has the qualities of an unsettled dream with the harmonic language almost mockingly omitting the fifth tone of the minor scale at all turns, while augmenting the fourth and diminishing the sixth. This Mazurka becomes a wild, dervish-like dance bordering on the grotesque before returning to the original theme. About Mazurka No. 5 (2009, revised 2010), the composer writes that this work “may remind us of Ravel”. Indeed, one can detect hints of Ravel’s La Valse in this work. The writing is highly virtuosic, and in the hands of Mr. Sullivan it was given a masterful performance that accentuated its brilliance. Mr. Cochran was in attendance and joined Mr. Sullivan for bows on stage. This is a composer who has learned his lessons well from the old masters while leaving his own distinctive mark. I would like to hear more from Mr. Cochran in the future.

Ending the program with Brahms’s Sonata No. 2 in F-sharp minor, Op.2, Mr. Sullivan showed himself to be as comfortable in this massive structure as he was in the sparseness of the Mozart. This work of a young Brahms is packed with bold ideas, virtuosic demands, and symphonic qualities that owe much to Robert Schumann’s influence. It is brash and designed to impress, and in this respect Mr. Sullivan delivered a power-packed performance. It was an exciting close to the concert by a pianist possessed of intelligence and technical prowess in equal measure.

As an encore, Mr. Sullivan offered the A-flat Polonaise, Op. 53 of Chopin, the Heroic, which he played in an exciting and highly individualistic manner (with liberties and additions to the score). The full-house audience loved it and roared their collective approval in a raucous ovation.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

The Second Coming in Review

The Second Coming

Ensemble du Monde, Marlon Daniel, Music Director and Conductor

Gwendolyn Howard, violin

Special guest: Hampson Sisler, composer

Society for Ethical Culture, New York, NY

December 14, 2013

World Premiere of the Oratorio The Second Coming by H. Sisler

In a concert to celebrate the release of the CD recording of The Second Coming by Hampson Sisler (b. 1932) on the MSR Classics label (MSR 1489: www.msrcd.com), Ensemble du Monde, with forces fifty strong under the direction of Marlon Daniel, gave a promotional performance of this new work. Those hearty souls who braved a snowstorm to get to the Ethical Culture concert hall were rewarded with not only the concert, but a reception afterwards to meet the performers.

Gwendolyn Howard, violin and Ensemble du Monde

Also on the program was Max Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy, featuring fifteen-year-old violin soloist Gwendolyn Howard, First Prize winner of the Ensemble du Monde Young Artists Concerto Competition. The modest and self-effacing Ms. Howard shyly took to the stage, giving no hint to the miraculous transformation that was about to take place. Once the music began, Ms. Howard reflected the assurance of the professional that she is. She plays with a beautiful tone and pairs that with the technique to toss off virtuosic passages with the greatest of ease. Make no mistake: this young lady is a force to be reckoned with! It was winning from start to finish.

Gwendolyn Howard, violin, Marlond Daniel, conductor and Ensemble du Monde

Clocking in at nearly one hour, the three-part oratorio The Second Coming is a music depiction of both the foreshadowing of Judgment Day (freely quoting the New International Version Bible: Matthew 24: 1-51), and the Apocalypse, as written in the Book of Revelation (freely quoting the NIV Bible: Revelation 6:1-17, 7: 6-13, and 16: 2-21). The three parts are entitled Prologue, The Seven Seals, and Bowls of Wrath. The composer was inspired by a conversation with Marlon Daniel about what was expected by some to be the Second Coming on October 20, 2012, along with Mayan prophecy’s End of Days, December 21,2012. *Spoiler alert*- Both dates were wrong.

World Premiere of the Oratorio The Second Coming by H. Sisler (the composer is congratulating the conductor)

All joking aside, the subject matter is powerful and worthy of musical depiction. Mr. Sisler originally composed an orchestral work based on The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. He took further inspiration from the subject matter and not only expanded the original work to include all seven seals, but also added the Prologue and Bowls of Wrath, both which include chorus, to form the complete oratorio. Mr. Sisler, having conceived the work in a modular fashion, has made it possible for the work to be performed in a number of different ways. The program notes make reference to five possibilities, increasing performance opportunities depending on the available forces. The modular aspect of the work, on the other hand, has the net effect of leaving uneven quality between the sections. It is natural to expect some of that in a work of this magnitude, but I did feel that the sections added later were more compelling and stronger in their conception than the earlier part. The addition of the chorus was partly responsible.

Hampson Sisler and the conductor Maron Daniel after the performance

In terms of style, one would expect a work using such terrifying imagery to be full of fire and brimstone – the Verdi Requiem comes to mind as an example. Even the artwork on the CD cover, with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the opening of the Heavens, suggests terror. Mr. Sisler has a different interpretation, that while he incorporates moments of strife, his rendering is largely a philosophical examination of the causes and effects of events rather than a dramatic rendering of the events themselves. While I did not find this approach to be immediately compelling, it was nonetheless an interesting conception that did give one pause to reflect.

World Premiere of the Oratorio The Second Coming by H. Sisler (The Cake for the party!)

The writing is highly chromatic, and while there are moments of stridency and dissonance, it is always tonally accessible. The choral writing is simple in form, with large amounts of recitativo throughout. The first section, Prologue, has stylistic similarities to Copland (especially Lincoln Portrait) and in my opinion is the strongest section of the work. My objections are strictly on stylistic preference; Mr. Sisler is a composer of skill and craftsmanship, whose music appeals to a wide audience.

Hampson Sisler is signing CDs after the World Premiere of the Oratorio The Second Coming .

Conductor Marlon Daniel was an attentive and steady guiding force. The Ensemble du Monde, with the exception of a few mishaps, most notably some cracked notes in the brass, gave The Second Coming an excellent performance. The composer joined the performers at the end for well-deserved congratulations.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) in Review

“Messiah…Refreshed!”

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY): Distinguished Concerts Orchestra, Distinguished Concerts Singers International;Jonathan Griffith, Music Director; Laura Strickling, soprano; Teresa Buchholz, mezzo-soprano; John McVeigh, tenor; Christopher Job, bass

Avery Fisher Hall; Lincoln Center, New York, NY

December 1, 2013

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY); Photo credit: Nan Melville

Two years ago, I wrote a review for this publication (“MESSIAH…REFRESHED!” November 27, 2011) of a DCINY performance of Handel’s Messiah, which used a re-orchestration of the original score for full symphony orchestra. This massive orchestration (full woodwinds and brass, large percussion battery, and two harps) by Eugene Goossens was written upon a commission from the English conductor Sir Thomas Beecham. In that review I used my two favorite “Beecham stories” which, of course, I can’t use again. Interested readers can refer back to the November 27, 2011 review by clicking here- Messiah Refreshed review 2011.

Hearing Maestro Griffith conduct this work for a second time, I can see how he is trying to balance his innate musicianship, which is of the highest level, with his desire to perform this work as stipulated in Goossens’s score and Beecham’s 1959 recording. It is an interesting problem that has many solutions. By omitting some movements, mostly in Part III, Goossens’s score transformed Handel’s three-part oratorio into a two-part work with a single intermission. He also omitted the “b” section, and therefore the da capo, of two quite long arias, “He was despised,” and “The trumpet shall sound.” Maestro Griffith omitted what Goossens omitted, but he did not take the ponderously slow tempi one hears on the 1959 Beecham recording. But what does one do with ornamentation? There is none in either the Goossens score or the Beecham recording. While this afternoon’s vocal soloists added many ornaments to their vocal lines, none appeared at cadences. For this listener one either follows the non-ornamented Goossens score to the letter or incorporates all we have learned about baroque music since 1959. It seems that Maestro Griffith has pondered this question long and hard, and his feelings are evolving. I admire that and look forward to the results of his ongoing thinking.

Over the years I have thought that the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra was made of freelance musicians brought together just for a specific concert. I have just learned that they are a permanent group, the in-house orchestra of DCINY, and a fine group they are. The fleet-of-foot-tempi chosen by Maestro Griffith might have taxed even a small baroque band, but this massive orchestra performed them with ease and clarity. Except for the booming timpani, the balances were perfect. The wind solos, especially the trumpet in “The trumpet shall sound,” were beautifully played.

The four vocal soloists were all first-rate, making it hard to pick out the high points, but here are a few: Soprano Laura Strickling’s thrilling coloratura in “Rejoice greatly” – the fast tempo allowed her to sing the inhumanly long vocal lines in one breath. Mezzo-soprano Teresa Buchholz’s delivered a most moving rendition of “He was despised” – her voice is beautiful in all parts of her register. I especially loved the plummy low notes. I do wish that Goossens had scored the entire aria. Tenor John McVeigh was a last minute substitution for the scheduled tenor, but one would not have thought so from his assured performance. He sang his opening recitative, “Comport ye,” with beautiful floating tone, and his “Thou shalt break them” had great dramatic fire. Bass Christopher Job was my favorite soloist, although he and Mr. McVeigh tended to rush a bit during their coloratura passages. His voice is thrilling from top to bottom, and his performance of “But who may abide” and “The trumpet shall sound” were, for this listener, the concert’s most memorable moments.

The personnel of The Distinguished Concerts Singers International changes for each performance. This afternoon there were 243 singers on the stage. During the “Hallelujah” and “Worthy is the lamb” they were joined by another 220 singers seated in the first and second tiers of the hall nearest the stage. That makes a total of 463 singers! And a mighty sound it was! Most were members of twelve choruses from the United States, Canada, Australia and China. Also singing were music teachers from the New York City public schools and, as the program stated, “individuals from around the globe.” The chordal sections of the choruses were beautifully sung with a thrilling sound, but many of the polyphonic passages were a different matter, exposing problems of pitch and ensemble.

The excitement in the hall, even before the music began, was palpable. At the end of the “Hallelujah Chorus,” the audience members could hardly contain themselves. Most thrilling, however, was the explosion of applause and bravos which followed hard on the completion of the final “Amen.” And it was justified. The audience of Messiah lovers, friends, neighbors, and family members of the chorus did not have matters of baroque performance practice on their minds. They had just experienced a heartfelt performance of a beloved masterpiece under the direction of a fine conductor. What a fine way to celebrate the beginning of another holiday season!

by Harry Saltzman for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

The 20th Century Concerto Grosso CD in Review

The 20th Century Concerto Grosso

Chandos Records: CHAN 10791

www.chandos.net

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, conductor

Maria Prinz, piano; Karl-Heinz Schutz, flute; Christoph Koncz, violin; Robert Nagy, cello

Maria Prinz with Sir Neville Marriner and musicians ((Flute, Violin and Cello) from the Vienna Philharmonic

An extraordinary recording entitled The 20th Century Concerto Grosso has been released on the Chandos label, and it is a must for all those who treasure brilliant playing and rarely heard compositions of high craftsmanship and originality. Quite a bit of the music here even reaches “catchy” status and should be included on one’s playlist for perennial listening. With today’s technological trends in music streaming, featuring many options such as Spotify, Pandora and ITunes, the memorability factor is what general audiences care about most. In other words, will they listen to it again and again or only once?

Although these lesser known works aren’t officially given the Baroque title ”Concerto Grosso” by their composers, like Bloch did with his famous Concerto Grosso No. 1 of 1925 of the same period, they serve the same purpose as the Concerto Grosso musical form did by producing an engaging dialogue between an intimate solo group with a larger ensemble. These works were all written in the 1920’s by three talented Europeans- Czech composer Erwin Schulhoff, Austrian Ernst Krenek, and French composer Vincent D’Indy. These composers have more than a time period and a musical conception in common; they were all unfortunately affected by the Third Reich or anti-Semitism. Schulhoff perished in the Wülzburg concentration camp in 1942. Krenek was frequently labeled as Jewish by the Nazis and his work branded as Entartete Musik. He immigrated to the United States in 1938 after the Anschluss. D’Indy, on the other hand, was a confirmed anti-Semite who actively promoted Richard Wagner’s ideology.

D’Indy, like Wagner, was a despicable person whose music transcends the man. Even though D’Indy’s character makes him the odd man out here, his music belongs with the other concerti on this album. His Concert, Op. 89 (1926), for Piano, Flute and Cello with String Orchestra is not only unique and of a high compositional level, but its Neo-Baroque strands are very accessible to those who want tunes to linger in the musical memory, as it pays more homage to the 18th century form than the other two composers on this recording. Stravinsky’s earlier Pulcinella (1920) or Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances (1917 and 1923) immediately come to mind. The music’s humor is palpable, and one walks away humming the tunes with real joy. This composition belongs in the standard repertory alongside the famous Stravinsky and Respighi works. The second most memorable composition here is Schulhoff’s Concerto doppio, WV 89 (1927), for Flute, Piano and String Orchestra with two horns. There is more 20th century dissonance here a la Stravinsky, Bartók, Bloch and Prokofiev. The work is at times danceable and consists of greatly contrasting moods. One can’t help ponder about what might have been had his life not been tragically cut short.

Ernst Krenek is not unknown in the music world. His popular opera Jonny Spielt Auf, which premiered in 1927, made him a star in Europe. It is most inspiring and original, employing jazz elements and multi-cultural influences. His Concertino, Op. 27, written in 1924, is most original in its use of harmony, phrase and rhythm, but has angular, expressionist melodic material that sometimes feels random and uninspired. There are still elements to enjoy, such as the energetic interplay between soloists and orchestra, and the high quality of the playing here.

The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner is amazingly polished and energetic in this unknown, difficult material. Pianist Maria Prinz plays virtuosically, devotedly and poetically in all three works. Flutist Karl-Heinz Schutz plays with remarkable beauty and precision, and violinist Christoph Koncz and cellist Robert Nagy play with extraordinary passion and refinement. The acoustic sound of this recording is first rate-natural and brilliant at the same time. One feels as if they are present in the hall with the players.

Kudos to Ms. Prinz and Sir Neville for bringing this music, and the links regarding these three composers, to our attention.

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

Suzanna Klintcharova: La Belle Époque de la Harpe, Volume #2 and 3: CD in Review

Suzanna Klintcharova: La Belle Époque de la Harpe, Volume #2 and 3

Suzanna Klintcharova, harp; Sofia Soloists Chamber Orchestra

VMS Zappel Music: VMS 241

www.zappelmusic.com

In her recently released CD set La Belle Époque de la Harpe, Volume #2 and 3, the fine harpist Suzanna Klintcharova features four French composers. They are the acknowledged masters, Debussy and Ravel, André Caplet, the brilliant orchestrator of several of Debussy’s works, and a venturesome creator in his own right, and Albert Roussel, renowned composer and teacher of Edgard Varèse and Bohuslav Martinů.

Conte Fantastique, a musical realization of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death”, is a vivid representation of Caplet’s gifts. Both the harp and string writing employ non-traditional techniques and a harmonic language that projects further into the twentieth century. Ms. Klintcharova’s technical facility in this, as in everything, is beyond reproach. Her rhythm is infallible, and her tone is clean and resonant. In addition, the stringent demands made on the strings are handled quite well, which is no mean feat.

Ravel’s Introduction et Allegro and Debussy’s Danses Sacrée et Profane are two cornerstones of the French repertory and both are given excellent treatment here by Ms. Klintcharova and the Sofia Soloists Chamber Orchestra. While both works contain extended solo passages and some meaty challenges for the harp, the Ravel is more intricate and interwoven amongst the players, while the Debussy, by its nature, is a more blended, harmonious composition. Though I found the interpretation in the Ravel somewhat on the conservative side, the playing was distinctive, most especially from the flutist Gueorgui Spassov. Ms. Klintcharova, a generous and intelligent collaborator, chooses her partners well.

These impressions of unity in musicality and expression amongst the players were only strengthened in the final disc of the recording. In Debussy’s Sonata No.2 for Flute, Viola, and Harp, I was particularly impressed by the violist Ognyan Konstantinov, whose beautiful tone quality and intonation were a pleasure to hear. Both Ms. Klintcharova and flutist Andrash Adorjan an employed a wide color palette to produce some magical effects. The players’ approach did not work quite so well, however, in Carlos Salzedo’s arrangement of the Ravel Sonatine for Piano, renamed Sonatine en Trio, for flute, cello and harp. This may be attributable to the inherent difficulties of transferring piano literature to chamber music. I missed the pristine delicacy of the original, and found that in some passages, choices in articulation and dynamic did not reflect the spirit of piano version. In general, it suffered from over interpretation.

The finale of the third disc, Roussel’s Sérénade for Flute, String Trio and Harp, Op. 30, was a revelation, and a rollicking finish to this recording. By far the most modernistic composition of the group, it has a rhythmic drive and metric complexity that proved exhilarating. Quoting freely from French folk song, and incorporating the flavor of early jazz, this chamber work occupies an unusual niche in the French repertory. Once again, Ms. Klintcharova and her partners were at the top of their game. This CD set is a consistently rewarding addition to the catalogue of French harp music.

by David La Marche for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Aleyson Scopel, Pianist in Review

MidAmerica Productions Presents: Aleyson Scopel, piano

Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

November 23, 2013

MidAmerica Productions has a long history of presenting talented artists in venues around the globe. The honor of the 1200^th concert worldwide was given to the Brazilian pianist Aleyson Scopel in a program featuring Mozart, Schubert, and his countryman, Almeida Prado. Mr. Scopel dedicated his performance “To Alys Terrien-Queen, the first to believe in me.” Terrien-Queen may have been the first believer, but after this performance, he added countless others, including this listener, as those “in the know.”

Opening with Mozart’s Rondo in A minor, K. 511, Mr. Scopel demonstrated his mature understanding of this highly introspective and melancholy work. He played with refinement and sensitivity, but without superficiality or glibness that lesser players sometimes display in Mozart. His control was excellent, the voicing clear, and contrasts rendered decisively. His was the playing of an artist, pure and simple.

The world premiere of Cartes Celestes XV (Celestial Charts XV) by Almeida Prado followed the Mozart. José Antônio Rezende de Almeida Prado (1943-2010) composed eighteen sets of pieces he called Cartes Celestes , works depicting the sky and universe, using a harmonic language the composer called “transtonality.” Cartes Celestes XV was finished in 2009 and dedicated to Aleyson Scopel. Subtitled “The Expanding Universe”, it is divided into six movements. The opening GRB090423, a musical depiction of a supernova 13 billion light years from the earth, was played by Mr. Scopel with harrowing effect, from the rumbling of the unstable stars to the brilliant explosion of light. The other movements (Eskimo Nebula, Pictor Constellation and Extrasolar Planet, The Bird of Paradise Constellation, Planetary Nebula NCG 3195, and Solar Wind) were further examples of the genius of this composer and his visionary conceptions. Almeida Prado pays tribute to his teacher Messiaen in Bird of Paradise. One can also detect some intergalactic Debussy (imagine La cathédrale engloutie in outer space!). The use of tonality without a tonal center, which the composer called his “pilgrim harmony”, was highly effective. Mr. Scopel took the listener on a tour of the stars in a spellbinding performance full of power, passion, and lyricism. After he had finished, Mr Scopel pointed to the sky in tribute to the composer. It was a touching gesture, and I am confident that Almeida Prado was listening with joy from somewhere in the vast universe he loved so much. Given that Mr. Scopel has recorded other of the Cartas Celestes, it is a reasonable hope that he will, at the very least, add this set to the mix, but I would very much like to see him record all eighteen Cartas Celestes. It would do honor to both Mr. Scopel and Almeida Prado.

After intermission, Mr. Scopel offered Schubert’s Sonata in A major, D. 959. This Sonata, completed only months before Schubert’s death, is a monumental work that is majestic, pathos filled, and nostalgic (especially in the finale’s look back to a theme from his Sonata in A minor, D. 537). Mr. Scopel continued to share his artistry with a well-considered and executed performance of this massive work. His playing was crisp and accurate. The contrasting moods were dynamically realized, the laments were moving in their simplicity, and the finale had unflagging energy. One must also contend with the virtuosic elements throughout, and Mr. Scopel was more than capable of dealing with those as well, which he did in an unpretentious and understated way. This was fine Schubert playing, and would have served as an excellent example to students on what constitutes a reference performance.

Aleyson Scopel is a first-rate pianist. Anyone who values substance over style should make it a point to hear him in performance. I look forward to hearing him again.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

The Music of Dinos Constantinides in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Distinguished Concerts Artists Series: The Music of Dinos Constantinides

Louisiana State University soloists: Michael Gurt, piano, Griffin Campbell, saxophone, Brett Dietz, percussion, Penelope Shumate, soprano, Johanna Cox, oboe, Lenora Cox Leggatt, violin

Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

November 24. 2013

Greek-born Dinos Constantinides is the head of Composition and Music Director of the Louisiana State University. He is presently Boyd Professor, the highest academic rank at LSU. Mr. Constantinides has composed over 250 works, including six symphonies, two operas, and music for a wide variety of instruments and voices. His writing style is all-encompassing, from the simplest of forms to the ultra-complex, and from the strictly tonal to the acerbically atonal and serial. He is especially adept in his use of Greek influences, such as Greek poetry from both ancient and modern sources, and Greek modal harmony. With the help of six exceptionally talented colleagues from Louisiana State University, his audience was privy to a broad survey of his varied style, including two world premieres, in ten works.

Pianist Michael Gurt led off the evening with the Sonata for Piano, LRC 49, a work that could be described as a journey through a post-apocalyptic world. It is not for the faint of heart, and Mr. Gurt was heroic as he wended his way through the nightmares and the desolation in a riveting performance. Mr. Gurt was stalwart all evening in his work with colleagues, demonstrating fine and attentive playing as a collaborator.

The lyric playing of saxophonist Griffin Campbell, especially in the Four Songs of Epirus, LRC 264 (World Premiere), was also outstanding. Oboist Johanna Cox handled all technical obstacles with apparent ease, and when her sister, violinist Lenora Cox Leggatt, a formidable talent in her own right, joined her with Mr. Gurt in Reflections V for Violin, Oboe, and Piano, LR 108, the effect was magical. It was the highlight of the evening to this listener. Brett Dietz displayed his amazing dexterity with his stick technique in the Moto Perpetuo for Marimba Alone, LRC 263 (another World Premiere) – it was a performance worthy of Paganini! Finally, soprano Penelope Shumate closed each half with performances filled with passion, charm, and coquettishness.

There is something apt in the saying about having too much of a good thing, and I am of the opinion that it would have been judicious to have shortened the program. Mr. Constantinides is at his best in his Greek-influenced works, and a program devoted to those works would have been most effective.

At the end, Mr. Constantinides joined his colleagues on the stage to offer them his congratulations, shaking hands with each performer. All joined together for a final bow to the appreciative audience.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Anna Han, Pianist in Review

The Stecher and Horowitz Foundation present 2012 New York International Competition First Prize Winner, Anna Han, piano

SubCulture Arts Underground, New York, NY

November 21, 2013

In the first of three scheduled concerts at the SubCulture Arts Underground, the Stecher and Horowitz Foundation presented sixteen-year-old pianist, Anna Han, the first-prize winner of their 2012 New York International Competition. The foundation should be commended for looking beyond the usual concert halls in selecting this unconventional venue for classical music. In this day and age, anything that can be done in order to capture new listeners, who might not otherwise attend, should be explored.

A few words about SubCulture Arts Underground are in order. As its name implies, the hall is in the basement of a larger facility. It has the feeling of a club, with a small stage and intimate seating for the audience. For more casual events, a full-service bar is open throughout the performances. Lest anyone think that “underground” means somewhat less than savory environs, let me state that this hall is a place in which even the fussiest person would feel comfortable. While perhaps not a place designed with traditional classical artists in mind, it is nonetheless suitable for classical soloists and small ensembles. My sole reservation was with the piano, of which I will speak later.

Anna Han sports a resume of competition victories and concerto performances that is quite impressive for such a young musician. What interested me the most was how this young player was going to handle her varied and eclectic program. Was this going to be a display of sheer technique, which so many young players seem to have in abundance, or was it going to be something more? The answer was forthcoming almost immediately.

Starting her program with the Bach-Siloti Prelude in B minor, BWV 855, Ms. Han showed the sensitivity of a real musician. She gave this work a performance with meticulous control, restraint, and attention to voicing. After this fine start, Ms. Han took on the Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35, Book 1, of Brahms. These fourteen variations of the famous 24^th Caprice are unabashedly virtuosic, giving the performer ample opportunity to display her technical prowess. Ms. Han certainly has the technique, but the larger variations seemed to lack something in power and projection. While I found the lighter variations to be done with style and wit, I never had the sensation of the intensity this work possesses. I do believe that this can be accounted for by the piano, which was not a 9-foot concert grand, but a much smaller instrument. This unfortunately somewhat undercut Ms. Han, who I do believe would have made a huge splash on a larger instrument. That being said, it was still an excellent performance.

Suite for Piano, a four movement by Michael Brown (b.1987) was commissioned by the Stecher and Horowitz Foundation and given its World Premiere by Ms. Han. It is a work filled with moments of both playfulness and poignancy. The second movement, Chant, was moving in its simplicity, while the third movement, Fugue, was a hilarious contrapuntal rendering of a theme that could be called “Bach Goes the Weasel”. Ms. Han played the former with the right amount of somber introspection, while the latter conveyed delightful wit and whimsy. Mr. Brown was in attendance, seeming to approve wholeheartedly of Ms. Han’s interpretation. Ending the first half was the Liszt transcription of Liebestod, from Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. I have mixed feelings about this work, as I find that the “accepted” performance practice of it is overwrought, overly loud, and a brutalization of the piano. The hall piano was probably a blessing here, as any ideas of blowing down the walls with sound were not going to happen. Ms. Han did a commendable job, but I prefer that the pathos and lament be the focus, with less emphasis on the heaven storming.

After intermission, Ms. Han played a set of pieces also commissioned by the Stecher and Horowitz Foundation, Three Etudes, by Avner Dorman (b. 1975). The three etudes are all modeled in the style of György Ligeti. Snakes and Ladders is “Ligeti meets Boogie Woogie”, Funeral March is a study of tonal despair in a deceptively simple form, and Sundrops over Windy Waters, a shimmering and hyperactive display of velocity. These three pieces, much like those of Ligeti, call for a player with not only a great technique, but an uncommon intelligence that probes for hidden meanings. Ms. Han is such a player, and when one stops to consider that she is only sixteen years old, one must marvel at such musical maturity at such a young age. It was exceptional. Beethoven’s Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 31, No. 3 was next, and Ms. Han continued to show the fine sense of style and architecture in her playing, a joy from the opening of the Allegro to the end of the Presto con fuoco. The Beethoven was the high point of the recital. Ms. Han is a sensitive and poetic player beyond her years.

Ending the recital was the Sonata No. 3 in A minor, Op.28 of Prokofiev. It was well played, but the issues of projection were once again problematic. The crowd was less sensitive to this issue, and gave Ms. Han a justly deserved ovation. She offered three encores, a lyrically played Etude No. 4, based on Gershwin’s “Embraceable You”, by Earl Wild, a quicksilver “Flight of the Bumblebee” that wowed the crowd, and Rachmaninoff’s Lilacs as a final note of artistry.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Ensemble: Périphérie in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) Artists Series presents: Ensemble: Périphérie

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

October 26, 2013

As part of DCINY’s Artists Series program, Ensemble: Périphérie (EP) was invited to perform at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in what was their New York debut. Established in 2010 by composers Joseph Dangerfield and Luke Dahn, EP consists of a core group of performing artists based in the Midwest. One of the primary goals of EP is to bring greater exposure to composers and works that are underperformed and neglected, or on the periphery, so to speak. They cite a quotation of Henri Dutilleux: “For me the only new music would be music that a composer of genius successfully created on the periphery of all the movements of our time and in the face of all current slogans and manifestos. Generally speaking, whatever the intellectual movements in force, not enough attention is paid to matters of temperament and originality…”.

This declaration reminds one of those ubiquitous pharmaceutical advertisements: WARNING! The music you are about to hear might cause momentary discomfort to persons accustomed to more traditional musical idioms. Side effects may include confusion, aural disorientation, and feelings of anger. Persons who do not well tolerate Dodecaphonical are advised not to listen. Make no mistake: EP is not interested in conventional popularity. Their repertoire is not music for the masses; they are all, however, superb musicians as individuals and have a musical rapport as an ensemble that truly believes in their mission.

Opening the concert was the New York Premiere of Cadences by Luke Dahn (b. 1976). A four-movement musical homage to Alexander Calder, scored for violin, cello, flute, clarinet, and piano, Cadences uses four Calder structures (The Crab, La Grande Voile, Lily of Force, and Three Up, Three Down) for inspiration. Mr. Dahn skillfully captured the essence of these works; the quirky nature of The Crab, the brooding qualities of La Grande Voile, the delicate lines of Lily of Force, and mobile-like aspects of Three Up, Three Down. I suspect Calder would have heartily approved of both the music and the exceptional performance from EP.

Four Songs on Poems of Seamus Heaney, also having its New York Premiere, from composer Louis Karchin (b. 1951) followed. Mr. Karchin set to music four poems of the 1995 Nobel Prize winner for Literature, poet, playwright, translator, and lecturer, Seamus Heaney (1939-2013). The poems are Lightenings iv (misspelled in the program as Lightnings twice, but correctly in the program notes), The Rain Stick, Lightenings i, and Settings xxiv. Scored for violin, cello, flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, and soprano, this work is not easily appreciated immediately, but does have many moments of beauty and import. However, balance issues overshadowed many of those moments, as the ensemble obscured soprano Michelle Crouch. I also noticed many audience members with their heads buried in the program struggling to follow the text, which meant they were focused in the wrong direction. Quite simply, either the singer must project more consistently or the ensemble needs to play more softly. As a whole, I was disappointed in this performance, not necessarily in the quality of the playing, singing, or composition, but in the overall effect.

After intermission, the second half commenced with I Hear the Sound That Has Fallen Silent by Irina Dubkova (b. 1957). Scored for violin, cello, flute, clarinet, and piano, this work is part of a larger composition entitled In the Soft Moonlight. Filled with rhythmic vitality and momentum-building intensity, this is one of EP’s signature pieces and was played with power and assurance. It was an outstanding performance of an interesting piece, and it got things back on track. Next up was Butterfly Dance by David Gompper (b.1954). Based on a Hopi Indian tune of the same name, Butterfly Dance is a two-part work scored for violin, viola, cello, clarinet, and piano. The composer conceived (in his words), “the first (part) as a preparation – although aesthetically removed but motivically based on the second part, a more straightforward rendition of the tune itself.” Clarinetist Yasmin Flores was the star of this work, from the soaring sounds of the opening section to the jaunty dance of the second.

The Wild, the New York premiere of the chamber version of the first movement of the Piano Concerto of Joseph Dangerfield (b. 1977), based on the Barnett Newman painting of the same name, ended the concert. It is a work of raw, untamed qualities and was played with a practiced edginess by the complete forces (excluding the soprano) of EP. A lesser ensemble would probably have allowed these ideas to deteriorate into amorphous cacophony, but EP made it all work. The audience left knowing that the musically unheralded and underplayed have a worthy champion, and that champion is Ensemble: Périphérie.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Javor Bračić, Pianist in Review

New York Concert Artists and Associates presents: Javor Bračić, piano

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

October 22, 2013

Recital debuts can be a dicey proposition in New York, depending on what other concerts and events are scheduled. Learning that a young Croatian pianist would be giving his New York debut in Weill Hall the same night as the much-heralded and fashionable Yuja Wang would play next door at Stern Auditorium, I imagined that a half-empty hall might await him. How wrong I was! Mr. Bračić’s sold-out house left a virtual mob swarming around the box office, hoping for tickets from last-minute cancellations. As the evening progressed, it became clear why: Javor Bračić is a pianist who possesses a deep, genuine musicianship and an outstanding technique that serves the great music he chooses. He honors both listener and composer with his intelligent, committed interpretations, and he offers a thoughtfully constructed program with elegance and humility. It was heartening to be reminded that such an artist is still a draw and that the “competition” for listeners is not always a zero-sum game.

Mr. Bračić began with Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C Major, WTC II (BWV 870), which was at once noble and sensitive, with not a note out of place. Moving on to Haydn’s Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI: 42, he sustained musical tension and interest through its rather long Andante con espressione, right through to the last note of the Vivace assai. Occasionally I wanted ornaments to be more singing in the first movement, and less subservient to the meter, but that was about the only quibble one could have – and a very personal one at that. The delicacy and precision were outstanding.

Moving to later style periods, Mr. Bračić tied his first half together to the Bach and Haydn by performing Debussy’s underplayed Hommage à Haydn (1909) and the even less well known Hommage à Bach (2001) by Croatian composer Davorin Kempf (b. 1947). In between old masters and homages came a World premiere of a work entitled Entwined, Disquiet (2013) by Rosalie Burrell (b. 1988). At times searching and at others explosive, the two movements explored a tonal world that verged on orchestral, bearing hints of Messiaen and even Scriabin, though without being derivative. Ms. Burrell is still quite young, but already emerging as quite a colorist. I would have enjoyed some information on the piece, but Mr. Bračić, playing from score, appeared to meet this new work’s challenges beautifully, with considerable expressiveness.

As far as the homages go, I’ve never completely grasped the Haydn connection in the ever so brief Debussy work, apart from some tenuous structural likenesses and passing elements of humor and surprise, but it is immediately appealing and was played convincingly by Mr. Bračić. The Bach tribute by Mr. Kempf is far less elusive. Crisp mordents, preceding impassioned scalar writing, hearkened back to Bach’s Toccatas (notable the BWV 565 Organ Toccata in D minor), while quieter counterpoint and sequential episodes were set ingeniously amid some highly adventurous, clearly twentieth-and-twenty-first-century composition. Virtuosity abounded, and Mr. Bračić was on top of it all with dash and drama. Hints of the B -A-C-H theme by Bach himself (based on the tones B-flat, A, C, and B-natural) emerged amid dissonant writing that at times resembled a Bach festival recalled through a dream, all brought to an end with a nod to Bach’s characteristic Picardy close. It is a work I’d like to hear again, especially thanks to Mr. Bračić’s superb performance.

The program’s second half consisted of the Brahms Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Minor, Op. 5, a feast of some of the noblest, warmest, richest piano writing in history, and Mr. Bračić was well suited to it all. Some minor glitches arose – as happen to almost all pianists – but most seemed here to stem from over-straining for power against the piano’s somewhat resistant treble register at climaxes. If those moments can be conquered with the majesty shown elsewhere, Mr. Bračić will have one of the best Brahms F Minor Sonata performances around. As it is, I would hear him again in a heartbeat. His audience seemed to agree, earning an encore of a small Ravel work – you guessed it!- Hommage à Haydn.

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

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Category: Reviews

Gil Sullivan, Pianist in Review

The Second Coming in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) in Review

The 20th Century Concerto Grosso CD in Review

Suzanna Klintcharova: La Belle Époque de la Harpe, Volume #2 and 3: CD in Review

Aleyson Scopel, Pianist in Review

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Anna Han, Pianist in Review

Ensemble: Périphérie in Review

Javor Bračić, Pianist in Review