The Kosciuszko Foundation presents “Musical Life of Galicia” in Review
The Kosciuszko Foundation presents “Musical Life of Galicia” The Rubinstein Players Tatiana Chulochnikova, violin; Maria Lyapkova, piano The Kosciuszko Foundation, New York, NY September 7, 2014
The Rubinstein Players, named for composer Anton Rubinstein, gave a well-played recital of three musical “footnotes” and one canonized master. At the outset, let me say that the two players function beautifully as a duo, with unanimity of thought and feeling. Ms. Chulochnikova has a real feel for the grammar of the Classical period. Her phrasing and intonation were true and singing. Her partner, Ms. Lyapkova, also plays with great sensitivity, although a bit too heavy at times.
Galicia, not to be confused with the province of present-day northwest Spain, was a loosely defined area, belonging to what we call today Poland, Ukraine, even Austro-Hungary.
The theme of “Galicia” was honored in unusual repertory choices. I had never heard a work by Ukrainian-born Maxim Berezovsky (1745-1777), who died at thirty-two, even younger than W.A. Mozart. His Sonata however chugged along somewhat automatically, except for more lyricism in the slow movement, never straying too far from tonic/dominant clichés. This work, for harpsichord and violin, could really have benefited from an early keyboard sound, as could the whole program. The performers’ biographies state that they are “equally at home” with period as well as modern instruments. The piano sounded heavy rather than bustling.
Next they played the Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 15, by the youngest son of W.A. Mozart: Franz Xaver (1791-1841, born only a few months prior to his father’s untimely death). He studied with Antonio Salieri, which should put an end to the “Amadeus” discussions of Salieri’s having poisoned W.A. Unfortunately for his well-meaning son, the father cast a long shadow. The son’s work has moments of grace, but the ideas don’t really flow inevitably and there is a certain squareness of phrase structure, which couldn’t be masked, even by the sensitive rendition the duo brought to it.
After intermission, the quality of pieces and performances lifted tremendously. First, with the Sonata by Chopin’s teacher, Jozef Elsner (1769-1854), which had Classical gestures but also a capricious harmonic novelty that seemed pre-Schubertian at times. He was born forty-one years before Chopin, and survived his famous pupil by five years. Elsner was born in Poland, but always insisted that he be identified as Silesian, not Galician. The Sonata was given a sterling performance, and there was no balance issue with the piano.
Finally, the great Sonata in G Major, Op. 30, No.3, by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), who I’m pretty certain would have bristled at being called “Galician.” Born in Bonn, he expatriated himself to Vienna by his early twenties. Again, the oneness of the two players made the most of this often hacked-through work. If anything, it could have used just the extra ounce of impetuous fire that truly wakens middle-period Beethoven. The tempi were cautious—the first movement lacked the assai (very) of the Allegro assai. The second movement, marked Tempo di Minuetto, wound up sounding strangely sleepy, largely as a result of their honoring Beethoven’s “second direction” for the movement: “but very moderate and grazioso.” The finale, which is often played way too fast, is marked Allegro vivace, and again here the initial piano figuration is marked piano (softly) and leggiero (lightly). It was far too heavy, which would not have been an issue at a faster clip. Ms. Lyapkova was excellent, however, in the first two movements, whose difficult figurations held no terrors for her.
The duo favored the audience with an encore, Romance, by their namesake Anton Rubinstein. Here, the violinist’s tone suddenly bloomed into the dark plush Russian romantic sound I associate with her Moscow training. Their ensemble was perfect in this delightful bonbon. I hope these two players will consider lavishing their immense gifts on music of greater interest, while continuing to present unusual works too.
