Sunday Evenings at Klavierhaus presents Louis Arques and Milena Zhivotovskaya in Review
“Treasures of Jewish Art Music: St. Petersburg School and Beyond”
Louis Arques, clarinet, and Milena Zhivotovskaya, piano
Klavierhaus, New York, NY
April 24, 2022
It is always an exciting prospect to hear artists I’ve not heard before and always a thrill to explore lesser-known music. To do both at the same time is a double joy, and that is just what I experienced hearing Klavierhaus’s “Treasures of Jewish Art Music: St. Petersburg School and Beyond” with Louis Arques, clarinet, and Milena Zhivotovskaya, piano, neither of whom I had heard before. The recital was part of an appealing series called Sunday Evenings at Klavierhaus, and as it was live-streamed and posted on YouTube, you can enjoy it here: Treasures of Jewish Art Music
Several composers on the program have gained increasing attention in the established repertoire in recent decades, but they are all still woefully underplayed. It is thus quite refreshing to see a whole recital dedicated to Mieczyslaw Weinberg (1919-1996), Alexander Krein (1883-1951), Grzegorz Fitelberg (1879-1953), Joseph Achron (1886-1943), and Jacob Weinberg (1879-1956) – and especially with the addition of a work by the pianist herself, Milena Zhivotovskaya (b. 1986) in her Three Pieces for Clarinet and Piano (2006, revised 2020).
The program starts with Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 28 (1945). It is a work with the unmistakable imprint of Shostakovich throughout, and that is no coincidence, as Shostakovich was a strong force in young Weinberg’s life (and in helping him against Soviet persecution, following Nazi atrocities). Opening with a plaintive clarinet solo, the first movement emerges from silence into what resembles a narration of uneasily shifting moods. The duo takes us through this music with polish and ease. Mr. Arques’ long-breathed phrases are ideal for this music, as is his wide dynamic range. Ms. Zhivotovskaya is an excellent collaborator, supportive and rock steady without being self-effacing, and the unity is impressive throughout this work and the entire concert.
The second movement Allegretto begins with a childlike simplicity with more than a tinge of dark irony before the clarinet breaks free into klezmer-esque outpourings. Mr. Arques’ expressiveness is a joy to behold. He is a marvelous clarinetist, and Ms. Zhivotovskaya is a great match for him. At one point where a “conversation” develops between piano and clarinet, Ms. Zhivotovskaya manages to match the clarinet timbres perfectly. The final Adagio movement begins with a long somber introduction of piano alone before the clarinet takes a solo role – and each conveys its tragic mood well, with distant rays of light penetrating at times.
On a side note, I want to address an issue of growing concern in live (or streamed) classical music concerts, involving the need to bring the music as close as possible to audiences, as they experience it in the moment. Especially with less familiar repertoire, if there are no program notes, a bit of spoken background or even a flash of interpretive insight shared in advance can make a difference in bringing a piece closer to audiences’ hearts and minds. While I, as a reviewer assigned to this concert, have the luxury of poking around, learning more about each piece, and hearing it twice to absorb it (and that, after conservatory training, doctorate, etc.), many can be left scratching their heads. Mr. Arques, a fine and communicative speaker, does take a moment to share some biographical information on Mieczyslaw Weinberg after his piece, but to have to hit the “rewind” button mentally to apply it retroactively is less than ideal. Also, though Mr. Arques does share thoughts on the Holocaust and Ukraine towards the end of the concert, they come just before the final work, which in a sad fluke of timing is actually a festive piece. Alas, such comments could have set the stage well for the opening work. Speaking afterwards may be preferred by many musicians (perhaps for their own musical concentration), but increasingly audiences can benefit from a bit of guidance. Now that post-pandemic audiences are clamoring for a live experience, it is our precious chance to reclaim them from years in deadening cyberspace.
For the remainder of the program works are introduced briefly prior to playing, and Mr. Arques introduces next the Three Ornaments, Op. 42 (1924-27), by Alexander Krein. Three Ornaments, originally a set of three songs without words set to syllables ah and la, is ideally suited to transcription for a wordless instrument, and it works well on the clarinet. The first is dreamy and Scriabinesque, while the second hearkens back more to Krein’s klezmer background. The final piece is rather elusive, but has something of a resemblance to Debussy, not shocking for its day. The two performers convey its mysterious brooding well, though its final surge and sudden ending still leave the listener perplexed. One would love to hear the performers’ thoughts on this enigma as well.
Next come some highlights of the program, first Grzegorz Fitelberg’s colorful pair of pieces entitled To the Wedding, as arranged for clarinet by Simeon Bellison. The first piece is inspired by preparation for a wedding, with its tones of solemn ritual, and the second is a joyful dance. The performers project the moods here well, and the dance adds a welcome note of celebration to the program. Joseph Achron’s hypnotic Hebrew Lullaby (1912) casts a spell in its arrangement from violin.
To introduce her own work, Three Pieces for Clarinet and Piano (2006, revised 2020), Milena Zhivotovskaya speaks briefly about its history, its commission by noted clarinetist Larry Guy, its premiere at the Manhattan School of Music, and its revision. “I draw my inspiration from, some of it, from music of Stravinsky and also Berg,” says Ms. Zhivotovskaya, announcing the individual pieces as Prelude, Toccata, and Romanza. This set is a fine addition to the clarinet-piano repertoire and should draw the interest of many performers. The Prelude is movingly meditative at the opening before moving to a faster pace with piano clusters – and rapid passagework and trills from the clarinet – before its quiet close. The ensemble work is excellent as ever, and the piece fits this duo’s gifts well. The Toccata that follows is full of bravura excitement, with buoyant 3-3-2 rhythms and jazz-inflected musical language, and the Romanza is filled with hypnotic piano figures, with some extended techniques for clarinet.
To close the concert, we hear the festive Canzonetta by Jacob Weinberg (1879-1956), given a winning performance. Incidentally, the Canzonetta was arranged, like the Fitelberg, by the remarkable Simeon Bellison (first clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic, among other distinctions). It elicits a standing ovation, after which the duo offers an encore called The Maypole, also by Jacob Feinberg – a perfect lagniappe for this time of year!
