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Review: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center delivers Tour de force
show at St. Celia Music Center
The Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
MLive.com
February 08, 2013
By John Phipps
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Mother Nature dumped heavy, wringing-wet snow on
West Michigan in a show of force Thursday night, but seven traveling
members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York
responded with a tour de force.
It was game-set-and-match to the society.
Playing heart-and-soul before a hardy band of 230 appreciative
concert-goers in St. Cecilia Music Center, the collection of virtuosos
(including two well-known native daughters of Michigan, Ani and Ida
Kavafian) presented the second of three concerts in a new partnership
between the renowned Lincoln Center and St. Cecilia.
The series debuted in November, and if the first two outings are any
indication, the April 11 return visit by CMS bearing treats from
Kodaly, Weber and Dvorak should be a must-attend event.
Thursday's concert was titled `Grand Statements,' and it fully lived
up to its name. Each of the three works on the program was some sort
of statement , and the performers brought out the best in them, as
well as in each other.
Indeed, one could stay home by the fireplace on a wicked night such as
Thursday and listen to Strauss, Franck and Rorem on CDs or YouTube.
But one would miss the magic of live performance, with the nuances of
tonal shadings, the visceral effect of real acoustics, the power of
full physical involvement by committed players. And one wouldn't share
vignettes of a wink between violinists during a one-measure rest, the
intense, message-passing eye contact between violist and cellist in a
demanding passage, the unrepressed smile of the pianist's page-turner
who delighted in being engulfed in world-class sound.
The magic was evident from the passionate opening rendition of Richard
Strauss' Sonata in E-flat major for Violin and Piano by Ida Kavafian
and substitute pianist Gloria Chien. Last seen here with David Shifrin
several years ago, Chien filled in for scheduled pianist Anne-Marie
McDermott, who had to attend to a family emergency. The pairing was a
solid winner, and their sensitive, breathtakingly emotional second
movement - the improvisation - was transcendent, fully worth the trip
and price of admission by itself.
Singer Randall Scarlata followed with a ringing, clear baritone of
broad range in the song cycle `Aftermath,' by Ned Rorem. Though not
atonal, its drastic intervals, eccentric timing and alternating
vocal-instrumental breaks make this modern anthology, wrung from the
angst of 9/11, call for a vocalist with power, flexibility and a
centered, secure sense of place in the composition. Scarlata displayed
it all, speaking as if in recitative, singing lyrically here,
declaring robustly there, crying for the dead and dying in all
wars. Among his best moments was the poignant, high head tone in the
song `Losses,' a startlingly plaintive question, `Why are you dying?
We are satisfied, if you are; but why did I die?' followed in kind by
a searching violin line fading from high register to low to silence.
Young and old were well represented in the concert, two youthful
players in cellist Mihai Marica, who proved his worth with a big, warm
sound and a facile way of coming to the fore when called to the
spotlight but blending seamlessly into the whole when the light moved
on. So, too, did violist Richard O'Neill, whose rich mid-range was
complemented by a flawless transition into violin territory when
required, and who teamed beautifully with Marica. Pianist Gilbert
Kalish, a longtime performer and instructor, flashed power to spare
and sprightly interplay with the Kavafians, whose sibling simpatico
brought even more richness to a deep, shared talent.
The Cesar Franck Quintet in F Minor thus received the full brunt of
all this ability, resounding throughout the wonderful hall of Royce
Auditorium with an almost orchestral presence. The audience leaped to
its feet at the conclusion and issued a lengthy call for three bows
from the players.
Though they left to more snow in the air, it was clear Mother Nature
had no effective response.
4 OUT OF 4 STARS
CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
What: `Grand Statements,' works by Strauss, Franck and Rorem,
performed by CMS musicians in the second in a series of three concerts
in partnership with St. Cecilia Music Center
When: Thursday evening
Where: Royce Auditorium
From: Baghdasarian
show at St. Celia Music Center
The Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
MLive.com
February 08, 2013
By John Phipps
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Mother Nature dumped heavy, wringing-wet snow on
West Michigan in a show of force Thursday night, but seven traveling
members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York
responded with a tour de force.
It was game-set-and-match to the society.
Playing heart-and-soul before a hardy band of 230 appreciative
concert-goers in St. Cecilia Music Center, the collection of virtuosos
(including two well-known native daughters of Michigan, Ani and Ida
Kavafian) presented the second of three concerts in a new partnership
between the renowned Lincoln Center and St. Cecilia.
The series debuted in November, and if the first two outings are any
indication, the April 11 return visit by CMS bearing treats from
Kodaly, Weber and Dvorak should be a must-attend event.
Thursday's concert was titled `Grand Statements,' and it fully lived
up to its name. Each of the three works on the program was some sort
of statement , and the performers brought out the best in them, as
well as in each other.
Indeed, one could stay home by the fireplace on a wicked night such as
Thursday and listen to Strauss, Franck and Rorem on CDs or YouTube.
But one would miss the magic of live performance, with the nuances of
tonal shadings, the visceral effect of real acoustics, the power of
full physical involvement by committed players. And one wouldn't share
vignettes of a wink between violinists during a one-measure rest, the
intense, message-passing eye contact between violist and cellist in a
demanding passage, the unrepressed smile of the pianist's page-turner
who delighted in being engulfed in world-class sound.
The magic was evident from the passionate opening rendition of Richard
Strauss' Sonata in E-flat major for Violin and Piano by Ida Kavafian
and substitute pianist Gloria Chien. Last seen here with David Shifrin
several years ago, Chien filled in for scheduled pianist Anne-Marie
McDermott, who had to attend to a family emergency. The pairing was a
solid winner, and their sensitive, breathtakingly emotional second
movement - the improvisation - was transcendent, fully worth the trip
and price of admission by itself.
Singer Randall Scarlata followed with a ringing, clear baritone of
broad range in the song cycle `Aftermath,' by Ned Rorem. Though not
atonal, its drastic intervals, eccentric timing and alternating
vocal-instrumental breaks make this modern anthology, wrung from the
angst of 9/11, call for a vocalist with power, flexibility and a
centered, secure sense of place in the composition. Scarlata displayed
it all, speaking as if in recitative, singing lyrically here,
declaring robustly there, crying for the dead and dying in all
wars. Among his best moments was the poignant, high head tone in the
song `Losses,' a startlingly plaintive question, `Why are you dying?
We are satisfied, if you are; but why did I die?' followed in kind by
a searching violin line fading from high register to low to silence.
Young and old were well represented in the concert, two youthful
players in cellist Mihai Marica, who proved his worth with a big, warm
sound and a facile way of coming to the fore when called to the
spotlight but blending seamlessly into the whole when the light moved
on. So, too, did violist Richard O'Neill, whose rich mid-range was
complemented by a flawless transition into violin territory when
required, and who teamed beautifully with Marica. Pianist Gilbert
Kalish, a longtime performer and instructor, flashed power to spare
and sprightly interplay with the Kavafians, whose sibling simpatico
brought even more richness to a deep, shared talent.
The Cesar Franck Quintet in F Minor thus received the full brunt of
all this ability, resounding throughout the wonderful hall of Royce
Auditorium with an almost orchestral presence. The audience leaped to
its feet at the conclusion and issued a lengthy call for three bows
from the players.
Though they left to more snow in the air, it was clear Mother Nature
had no effective response.
4 OUT OF 4 STARS
CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
What: `Grand Statements,' works by Strauss, Franck and Rorem,
performed by CMS musicians in the second in a series of three concerts
in partnership with St. Cecilia Music Center
When: Thursday evening
Where: Royce Auditorium
From: Baghdasarian