Phil‟s Classical Reviews

Atlanta Audio Club November, 2020

“Amour eternel” – Ekaterina Siurina, Scriabin: Piano Sonata No. 5 Shostakovich: Songs and Romances soprano; Constantine Orbelian, Irina Feoktistova, pianist Margarita Gritskova, mezzo-soprano; conductor,Kaunas City Symphony (MSR Classics) Maria Prinz, pianist (Delos) (Naxos)

Ekaterina Siurina, born (coincidentally) This review is something new for me in What I said about Margarita Gritskova in Ekaterinburg, Russia, completed her that I am listening to postings on the in my “Russian Tribute” column studies at the Russian Academy of MSR Classics website instead of (Summer, 2019) goes double in this Dramatic Arts in Moscow. I won‟t bore either a physical CD or a download. new release of Songs and Romances you with a list of the competition They are the result of an extraordinary by Dmitri Shostakovich, especially that honours she has won, but instead will collaboration of two Russian emigrées her interpretive skills revealed “a keen content myself with saying that, while who now reside in the wild frontier of intelligence at work engaging with still a student in 1999, she made her Chicagoland, pianist Irina Feoktistova poetry of real literary substance [and] professional role debut as Gilda and mezzo-soprano Evgenia Pirshina, making full use of the wonderfully in Rigoletto opposite the celebrated who here utilizes the skills she has expressive quality of her voice.” As baritone Dimitri Hvorostovsky developed in her other career as opposed to the songs of Tchaikovsky, photographer and creator of stunning Rimsky-Korsakov, and Rachmaninoff In addition to some of the usual color realizations. The natives of St. that we heard in the earlier album, suspects in an aria recital of the sort Petersburg and Moscow, respecively, these romances by Shostakovich are we have in the present release by combine their talents in a program of often grim, satirical, darkly emotional Delos Productions, we are also given sound and imagery that will really blow and sombre, requiring the utmost of two great arias from operas that you you away! Gritskova and her recital partner, won‟t get to hear very often for various pianist Maria Prinz. reasons. First, Louise by Gustave In that context, it seems fitting that the Charpentier (1860-1956) is seldom subject should be two works by the In contrast to the earlier CD program, staged because of scenic difficulties, altogether extraordinary Alexander the poetic texts that inspired Dmitri so that we are much more likely to Scriabin. Was he a visionary or merely Shostakovich are all over the board, in hear the aria Depuis le Jour in recitals. a madman and an incredible egotist? quality as well as mood. We begin with Because of the richness and density of We get numerous clues to the Scriabin The Dragonfly and the Ant from 3 Charpentier‟s orchestration, it requires paradox in the two works presented Fables by Ivan Krylov, a retelling of the range and depth of tone Siurina is here, Piano Sonata No. 5 and Vers la Aesop‟s tale of the grasshopper and capable of bringing to it. In this aria, flamme. Both reveal aspects of his the ant with a distinctly Russian the heroine reminisces, “Since the day artistic goals and tortured strivings. piquany. “So then you,” rebukes the I gave myself to you, / My destiny Ant, “Without a thought sang away the seems strewn with flowers/ I tremble One of the things that gets tortured in entire summer. That‟s fine business. deliciously / At the tender memory of Scriabin‟s Sonata No. 5 in F-sharp Go on then – dance now!” our first day of love.” The sentiment Major is tonality itself. At a time when may sound sappy, but the richness of he was getting disenchanted with any There follow 2 romances by Japanese expression of a Siurina can really put theory of tonality as a limiting concept, poets in Russian translation: Before this aria across! this sonata in a single movement the Suicide, the song of a heart heavy makes an honest though decidedly laden, and For the First and Last Time, Hampered by a libretto that is eccentric attempt at key resolution, a song of sorrowful regret for a lost unbelievably melodramatic and by working through extended episodes in love in which Gritskova uses her emotions that are excessive even by B major with sustaining pressure from expressive voice to good effect. the usual operatic standards, Georges E-flat before finally arriving in the Two Romances on verses by Mikhail Bizet‟s Les Pêcheurs de perles (The neighborhood of F-sharp. We should Lermontov are Ballad, in which a Pearl Fishers) is another opera that note, by the way, that F-sharp major is maiden cajoles her naïve lover into doesn‟t get presented very often these a particularly rich, if difficult, key with diving into the depths of the sea to days. That‟s a pity, judging from the six sharps in its signature, something recover her lost necklace –with a rich lyrical quality of the aria Siurina which no doubt appealed strongly to musical depiction of the restlessness sings here, Me voila seule dans la nuit Scriabin. and turmoil of the sea as a correlative (Here I am, alone in the night). for the human passions– and Morning After a deep rumbling from the depths in the Caucasus, with its evocation of In this aria the Priestess Leila, in of the instrument, we are plunged into a break of dawn setting where a young solitude, reflects on her clandestine what seems absolute quiet, like the man encounters maidens bathing in meetings with the fisherman Nadir. It is vast stillness of the universe, for which the shadows. What will follow next? preceded by a breathless rush in the Pirshina finds a visual correlative in a The poet asks, “how can they flee if string section, reflecting the powerful planetarium show where the restless the sweet thief is so very near?” emotions that are surging in her movement of the heavenly bodies breast. In an aria so richly and underlies the ininitial impression of The expressive ranges Gritskova and imaginately scored in the woodwinds, stillness. The excitement picks up in Prinz encompass so well in the especially in the horns, siurina‟s voice stages, and the music now becomes Lermontov poems continue in two rises to the occasion, shaping the bold increasingly urgent, with bullets of light poems by Marina Tsvetayeva. In contours in the music as the warmth of streaming from a source as the visual “Whence comes such tendrness?” we Leila‟s reminiscences allows her to component for what is happening in hear the thoughts of a woman who is subdue her inner turmoil (for the Feoktistova‟s compelling performance. uncertain as to whether to trust a new moment at least). Then, just as we are expecting a well- love: “These are not the first curls that deserved climax of virtuosity, Scriabin I have caressed, and I have known lips Other favorite arias among the 14 pulls the rug from under us, and the darker than thine.” And “No, the drum selections on this program include music vanishes without a trace! was beating” captures ambivalence in Juliet‟s quietly passionate Je veux a young soldier as to whether to hurl vivre (I want to live) from Charles Vers la Flamme (Toward the Flame) himself into the fray, in words that Gounod‟s Romeo et Juliette and was one of Sriabin‟s last works before conceal Shostakovich‟s own feelings Marguerite‟s “jewel aria” O Dieu! Que his untimely death in 1915. Its simple at being rejected by Soviet officialdom. de bijoux from Gounod‟s Faust, where melody consists of descending half Rebirth, after Alexander Pushkin, a demand for high, bell-like tones will steps, with unusual harmonies and provides the consoling thought that pose a real challenge for any soprano. tremolos serving to create an intense, even the thickest coat of black paint Signore, ascolta! (My Lord, listen) from fiery luminescence. The central image will not hide forever the beauty of an Giacomo Puccini‟s Turandot, the in Pirshina‟s visual realization seems underlying painting. urgent plea of the slave girl Liu to to be the sun itself, which provides the Prince Calaf for whose life she fears in clue as to Scriabin‟s unusual title. The There follow two Romances on Verses his coming encounter with the cruel composer believed that a continuous by British Poets, including William Turandot, also rates high marks for tor accumulation of heat would lead to the Shakespeare‟s lesser-known Sonnet the gracious tenderness and flexibility fiery destruction of the earth and all its 66, “Tired with all these, for restful of Siurina‟s voice. So does Micaela‟s creatures, an event which he eagerly death I cry,” with its unmistakable note aria je sais que rien ne m’epouvante (I anticipated. The sonic equivalent of of bitterness and world-weariness that know that nothing frightens me) from this inexorable movement “towards the must have meant something to Georges Bizet‟s Carmen, in which she flame” is the constant buildup and Shostakovich to have even chosen to is building up her courage for her crescendo we experience throughout set it. Two Verses from Jewish folk coming meeting with the woman she the piece. At a playing time of 5:37, Poetry include a tender Lullaby and a fears and hates. this super-charged fusion of romantic Warning to young girls not to go and modern technique does not strolling before dawn. Then we have 2 Siurina‟s account of the heroine‟s overstay its welcome. Stunning flare- Greek Songs, including Pentosalis, the heart-melting aria Si, Mi chiamano ups of flame in Pirshina‟s animation bitter reflection of a youth disappointed Mmi (Yes my name is Mimi) from enhance Feoktistova‟s playing of the in love, and Zolongo, the defiant song Puccini‟s La Bohéme is followed by powerful, sudden chords within the of women who are determined to kill the tender duet O soave fanciulla (O melody line and the echo-effect themselves rather than accept slavery. gentle maiden), one of several fine created by repeated notes in the moments in the program in which the piano‟s upper register. Following two traditional Spanish folk soprano is joined by her real-life tenor songs, Farewell Granada and Little husband Charles Castronovo. Note: These performances, recorded Stars, we conclude with a pair of bitter, at the Levin Performance Studio of wickedly satirical verses by Sascha WFMT Chicago, are available to the Tschorny, which I will leave you to public on all digital platforms, including discover for yourselves. iTunes, Amazon Music, and Spotify.

Schumann: The Three Quartets Beethoven: Quartet in C# Minor, Op. “E Pluribus Unum,” works by Emerson String Quartet 131 + Ligeti: Metamorphoses contemporary composers (Pentatone) Jupiter String Quartet Liza Stepanova, piano (Marquis) (Navona)

I‟ll say this for the Emerson String The Jupiter String Quartet, consisting The interesting thing about “e Pluribus Quartet: these guys have really been of Nelson Lee and Meg Freivogel, Unum” is that it is a collection of piano around the block! The basic foursome violins; Liz Freivogel, viola; and Daniel pieces that have all been written by started off playing together when they McDonough, cello, are no strangers to American composers with immigrant were students in the early „seventies at this column, having appeared in my backgrounds, and is in fact a silent Juillard, where both volinists studied Classical Reviews for 02/2014 and protest to the benighted immigration under Oscar Shumsky (they couldn‟t 09/2019. Their penchant for works of policy current in these United States. have chosen better!) The original rare and unusual beauty is just as That policy blindly refuses to recognize quartet incorporated professionally pronounced as ever in the present the multifold ways in which immigrants and began touring in 1976. They now pairing of quartets by Beethoven and have participated in and enriched the consist of Eugene Drucker and Philip Ligeti, both of whom pushed the culture of our country, in effect Setzer, who trade off playing first and boundaries of the chamber genre in nullifying the spirit of our own motto, second violins; Lawrence Dutton, their own ways. which translates “Out of Many One.” viola; and Paul Watkins, who replaced longtime member David Finckel at The first thing you notice about The work of nine different immigrant cello after the 2012-2013 season. Beethoven‟s “Late” Quartet, Op. 131, composers is represented here: Lera is its unusual structure. It is in seven Auerbach (Russia), Kamran Ince The Emersons will be celebrating their movements, the third of which, at only (Turkey), Chaya Czernowin (Israel), th 50 Anniversary in the coming years, 44 seconds‟ duration, actually serves Reinaldo Moya (Venezuela), Anna the exact date depending on where as a brief interlude before the fourth Clyne (England), Eun Young Lee you start counting. That longevity has and longest (13:31). That movement, (Korea), Badie Khaleghian (Iran), been matched or exceeded, as far as I Andante ma non troppo e molto Pablo Ortiz (Argentina), and Gabriela know, only by the original Quartetto cantabile, is at the very heart of the Lena Frank (born in Berkeley, CA to a Italiano and the Borodin Quartet from matter in which an ongoing narrative mother of mixed Peruvian/Chinese Russia. It‟s long enough time for them seems to be present, giving unity to a ancestry and a father of Lithuanian/ to have developed a distinctive work that, at first encounter, might Jewish descent). Stepanova herself, performance style, with an attention to bewilder us with its apparent sprawl. born in Belarus, holds degrees from detail that serves well the classics that the Hanns Eisler Akademie, Berlin and they perform without turning into mere Actually, Beethoven cunningly crafted the Juilliard School, New York, and is fussiness. They are past masters at a surprisingly well-integrated quartet in currently associate professor of piano shaping the contours of the musical seven movements. Rather than being at the University of Georgia, lines, expressing the emotion inherent a mere miscellany, it is better thought- in the music itself effectively and not of as a wide-ranging work in a single Well, that covers most of the United making the mistake of taking it over 38-minute movement unfolding in Nations! Now let‟s see what the the top. And a lot else besides. seven sections, a fact the Jupiter composers have to say to us. Quartet are quick to grasp. The afore- To my knowledge, this is the first time mentioned slow movement is at the Lera Auerbach‟s An Old Photograph they‟ve recorded Robert Schumann‟s heart of the matter. Listening to it, I from the Grandparents‟ Childhood, three String Quartets, Op. 41, though imagined an ongoing dialog between with its lithe textures and quicksilver they recorded his Piano Quintet, Op. the cello, a searcher in quest of an movement punctuated by delicate 44 and Piano Quartet, Op. 47 with ideal love or an enduring beauty as a beats, reminds me of the opening pianist Menahem Pressler in 1996 for means of discovering both truth and scene, “The Street Awakens,” from Deutsche Grammophon, a label for wisdom, and the higher strings. That, Prokofiev‟s Romeo and Juliet. The which they were the “flagship” quartet at least, is my take on it, based on resemblance may be unconscious, as for many years and for whom they what I hear in this performance. Auerbach has done a lot of work with recorded no fewer than 52 albums. The ongoing narrative in this work choreographers in her career. begins with a melancholy-sounding It‟s good that the Emersons have had Adagio ma non troppo e molto Kamran Ince desribes his musical aim so much experience playing together espressivo (and whenever Beethoven as creating “the feeing of being in one because the Schumann Quartets, describes any movement in such dimension as we are simultaneously in while paying tribute to the great detail, you you‟d better believe him!). another.” Reasoning that we do not classical tradition that informs the Following a brief (1:58) but stirring view a painting sequentially from left to genre, have some striking innovations sixth movement that comes across like right but in all dimensions, he argues of Schumann‟s own devising that a glimpse into the eye of a storm, the why should music not exist in this way th place them in the spirit of 19 Century work ends resolutely in an Allegro with as well? His Symphony in Blue does romanticism. He wrote all three in a a jaunty theme in march time in which just that, utilizing both pedals and the white heat of inspiration in six weeks in pain and exultation are mingled. full range of the keyboard, even June and July of 1841, yet amazingly including the rattling of untuned keys. they show no sign whatsoever of The harmonies in this work, which is undue haste. They are filled with lyrical cast in the key of C-sharp minor Chaya Czernowin‟s fardanceClose is poetry, unfailing inventiveness, and (usually considered uncongenial for a described by her as “remnants (of a expressions of love sentiment that body of strings), are remarkably rich – dance) too entangled to decipher, one reflected his deep and ardent feelings yet another unorthodox procedure that which was brought by a gust of wind, for his bride Clara Wieck. (In the gives rise to imaginative interplay as you stand alone and listen to a far- Andante espressivo, of Quartet No. 3, between the quartet members. One away party in the night.” It is a dance we even hear numerous instances of a other observation by Liz Freivogel who for the imagination, not the legs. falling two-note phrase that scans with writes in the booklet annotation: “One her name and seems to say “Clara.”) never reaches a truly conclusive Reinaldo Moya‟s The Way North interpretation. The journey will always describes the imaginary journey of a Beautiful melodies and beguiling continue, revealing new layers of Central American migrant, first across harmonies abound in these quartets, depth and complexity that we could Mexico‟s southern border and then particularly in the slow movements: the not possibly comprehend at the start of across the northern border into the Adagio of No.1 in A minor, the our exploration.” United States. The journey is fraught Andante of No. 2 in F major, where it with hardship and peril that are implied serves to temper the unsettled mood In a strange kind of way, String in the music, with a gentle final section created by a noticeable rhythmic Quartet No. 1 by the late Hungarian describing a stop at a santuary church. uneasiness, and the Adago Molto of composer György Ligeti (1923-2006) No. 3 in A major, where it assumes the has some interesting parallels with the Anna Clyne‟s On Track features a character of a full-blown expression of Beethoven. Subtitled “Metamorphoses virtuoso piano part contrasted by a romantic love. And let‟s not forget the nocturnes,” it too unfolds in a single voice track that is taken from a slow introduction, Andante espressivo, 22-minute movement. In it a motivic Commonwealth Speech by HRH of No. 1, which charms us and kernel returns in many guises, Queen Elizabeth II: “I have lived long engages our attention before things melancholy, austere, and frightening, enough to know that things never get bouncy in the Allegro section. hence the idea of “metamorphoses.” remain quite the same for very long.” One particularly fine moment, among The music amplifies the thought. One other thing we notice about many, occurs about 9:10 when almost Schumann‟s writing in these quartets subliminal oscillating figures in the Eun Young Lee‟s Mool (the word is his penchant for what might be violins, like the nocturnal sounds of means water in her native Korean) is called either “melodic rhythms” or insects, serve as a counterpoint, intended as a celebration of water in “rhythmic melody,” which reaches its enabling the lower strings to evolve nature, something that never stays in fullest fruition in the finale of No. 3, a dark, rich harmonies. just one form or color, continually rondo in all but name marked Allegro giving life and sustenance as it molto vivace. These rhythms add These changes involve, as Freivogel changes. Lee uses changing sound character and vivacity to the strong describes it, “immediate demands, colors to describe this phenomenon. musical lines. The forcefulness and involving fast-twitch muscles and split- harmonic richness of this work have second timing.” It all pays off well in Badie Khaleghian‟s Tahirih the Pure long led observers to term it an capturing the essence of a work that, celebrates a woman of the Baha‟i faith exercise in “pocket-sized orchestral like the Beethoven, casts a long who was murdered for being an early music,” an observation we might also trajectory and is not easily forgotten. advocate of women‟s equal rights. A apply, in a slightly lesser degree, to fine coda, depicting Tahirih peacefully Quartets 1 and 2. chanting and praying before her death, ends a suite in three movements that That brings us to the end of an cries out to be orchestrated, outstanding set of the three Schumann Dreamy impressioism drifts effortlessly quartets that the Emerson String into the pattern of a Milongo, precursor Quartet have apparently recorded for of the Tango, in Pablo Ortiz‟ Piglia, a the very first time. These handsome tribute to Argentine poet Ricardo Piglia performances should make more who “has had an enormous influence friends for three beautiful works that on my thinking.” have somehow not quite gotten the attention they have deserved. Finally, Karnavalito No. 1 by Gabriela Lena Frank celebrates the concept of mestizaje, whereby different cultures can coexist without one subjugating the other. Frank alludes to the rhythms and harmonies of her mother‟s home- land of Peru in a stylistic work with nods to Hungarian composer Bela Bartok, a personal favorite of hers.

“Fermi‟s Paradox” “Bach & Beyond, Part 3” Carolyn Surrick, viola da gamba; Ronn McFarlane, Lute Jennifer Koh, solo violin (Sono Luminus) (Cedille)

“Fermi‟s Paradox,” the title of the present album, refers to a Jennifer Koh does it again! Once more, in an album slated conundrum famously posed by the great Italian physicist to be the last in the series, she again places the artistry of Enrico Fermi (1901-1954), who reasoned that, given the J. S. Bach‟s epoch-making works for solo violin against fact there are billions of stars similar to our own sun in the those of 20th/21st century composers, tracking the influence Milky Way galaxy, with potentially billions of planets, and of an inspired concept down through the stream of music also that the conditions for the origin of life that obtain on history. This time, our contemporaries are Italian composer our own Earth cannot be unique, there must be intelligent Luciano Berio (1925-2003) and American John Harbison life on other planets. Further, some of these civilizations are (b.1938) and Koh has carefully programmed the pairings on probably older than ours and, by sheer mathematical the present 2-CD offering in the interest of discovering probabilty, must have developed the means for interstellar some congenial and unexpected likenesses. travel. So, why aren‟t we aware of them? So far, there is no convincing proof this has happened. On CD1 we find Bach‟s fanciful and far-ranging Sonata No. 2 in A minor, BWV 1003, paired with Berio‟s Sequenza VIII That brings us to present-day America, a nation locked for solo violin, one of a series of 14 similarly named works down by the Covid-19 pandemic and torn apart by the for various solo instruments, including voice. Berio sheering force of blind political strife. So what are we to do? conceived them as studies that explore their distinctive The cabin fever we all feel to some degree or other is felt by characters and capabilities to the max. In this instance, musicians, too, given the many cancellations that have kept Sequeza VIII is built around two notes (A and B) that serve them from enjoying the normal happy encounters with as sea-anchors to keep the chaconne-like work on a steady audiences and other musicians that mean so much to a course of exploration. Almost the last things we expect in a musical career. Like a lot of us, they can get to feeling work of this sort are charm and wit, two affective qualities positively exitential. “Why us, why now?” asks Carolyn that correlate with traits we also find in the Bach sonata. Surrick, featured artist along with Ronn McFarland on the present album. “As concert after concert is cancelled, as Counter to any reasonable expectation, Bach opens this rehearsals become unnecessary, as the future of live music sonata with a movement marked Grave (serious), whose performance becomes uncertain, we have to wonder, „Is slow tempo allows a highly ornamented melody to meander anyone out there?‟ “ at will, following a course of contrasting rhythms and decorative flourishes that serve to release the melodic A creative response to all of this is found in the present potential of the minor mode. This movement may, or may album, in which Surrick‟s viola da gamba with its beautiful, not, be taken as a prelude to the second, a Fuga (fugue) well-centered tone, plays beautifully set against the silvery daunting in complexity and compelling in its forward thrust. precision of McFarlane‟s 10-course lute, in a program Bach uses the third movement, a calmer, homophonic ranging from John Dowland, Marin Marais and Georg Andante, as an effective contrast to the harsh energy and Philipp Telemann in the 17th-18th centuries right down to contrapuntal density of its predecessor. A lighthearted “Little Martha” (1971) by Duane Allman, with lots of Irish Allegro, characterized by highly rhythmic and melodic and Scottish traditionals that have re-emerged in the Celtic variations, ends the sonata in a very satisfying manner. revival of more recent times, plus McFarlane‟s own graceful and hauntingly beautiful compositions “Daniel‟s Chaconne” Harbison‟s For Violin Alone ostensibly bears more of a and “Trinity Grove.” “O Sacred Head” by Hans Leo Hassler resemblance to Bach‟s style than does the Berio, at least in (1564-1612) is heard here in J. S. Bach‟s striking its formal layout, consisting of Ground, Dance, Air, March, harmonization. Ditto the “Ave Maria” set to a melody by Dance, Duet, and Epilogue. When contrasted with Bach‟s Charles Gounod based on Bach‟s Prelude, BWV 946. This Sonata No. 3 in C major, BWV 1005, the differences appear well-loved charmer concludes the program in a deeply more striking, especially considering Harbison‟s more satisfying setting that gives considerable scope to the severe, austere manner of writing. It is most effective in the extraordinarily rich resonance of Surrick‟s gamba. brash-sounding March movement and an Air that manages to be both sinewy and featherweight. The two Dance I have been familiar for some time with the distinguished movements, however, seem lacking in an essential sense work of Ronn McFarlane, who has recorded more than forty of rhythm that might have made them more attractive. albums over the past four decades for Sono Luminus and its predecessor, Dorian Recordings. Carolyn Surrick, a new Koh gives it her best shot in the world premiere recording of discovery for me personally, spent some eight years this work that was written expressly for her, but I find For sharing the healing warmth of her instrument with wounded Violin Alone less charming than it might have been, veterans and their families on Friday visits to the Walter especially set on CD2 together with the Bach sonata. Epic Reed National Military Medical Center. A third artist heard in scale with a playing time of ten and a half minutes, on his album is drummer Jackie Moran, Tipperary born and Bach‟s Fuga movement tends to dominate matters, though Chicago nurtured, whose artistry on the bodhrán has long the gorgeous Adagio that opens the work and the warm been in demand with Irish tranditional bands everywhere. Largo and fetching Allegro assai that conclude it all serve to His influence in this album is as pervasive as it is soften any impression of rough edges, at least in Koh‟s inobtrusive, adding a rhythmical presence to pieces that performance. would not have been the same without it.

Fauré: The 13 Barcarolles “A Musical Bouquet,” Shannon Lowe, “Humanity is an Ocean,” flute Namji Kim, flutist bassoon, and friends soundscapes – Yael Acher “Kat” (Centaur) (MSR Classics) Modiano, flute (Centaur)

Korea-born pianist Namji Kim holds Shannon Lowe, currently Assistant Yael Acher, a.k.a. “KAT” Modiano is a degrees from the Conservatoire Professor of Bassoon and Aural Skills unique phenomenon on a number of National Supérieur de Musique (Paris) at the Unversity of Florida, is really a counts. The flutist is equally fluent in and the Juilliard School and the dynamite performer on her chosen jazz and classical music, as the Manhattan School of Music (New instrument, as we find abundantly on present album bears witness. She York). A competition prizewinner and a display in “A Musical Bouquet,” began learning the flute at the age of sought-after concert soloist, she is together with a little help from her 9, and went on to study in Israel and currently Professor of Piano at the friends. The program ranges from the Denmark before moving to New York University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. 17th century to the present era and to study composition at NYU and allows her to display the bassoon‟s receive a Master of Arts degree in Kim brings all her experiences into best assets: its hauntingly rich, deep Liberal Studies from Empire State play in her accounts of the 13 voice and its ability to scamper up and College in 2018, specializing in Music Barcarolles of Gabriel Fauré. That‟s down scale passages with an alacrity for Social Change. She is involved in important because these works must you might not have guessed in so acoustic and electro-acoustic music in be performed with the naturalness that large an instrument. all sorts of idioms: contemporary, is the last fine accomplishment of the classical, improvisatory, progressive true keyboard artist. They exemplify All the resources of the double reed jazz, electronic-acoustic, and tango, in the paradox we often find in great come into play in a contemporary settings ranging from live music for music in that the simplest-sounding work, Dança de Lisboa (Dances of silent films to music for choreography. music is often the most difficult to play Lisbon) for bassoon and string quintet and to perform with conviction. by French composer Alexis Ciesla “KAT” starts off the program with an (b.1967). Corruscating dark raw umber inspired arrangement of J.S. Bach‟s Fauré composed his 13 Barcarolles colors in the opening give way to Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007, over a period from 1880 to 1921. brighter hues and scintilating rhythms, originally for solo cello, that preserves There is little information to suggest with even some Fado influence, never the semi-improvisational character of they enjoyed any great popularity or failing to explore the expressive voice the original while realizing it in terms of that the composer ever played them in of Shannon‟s instrument. what the flute does best. In a work in public. They are still under-performed which the solo instrument has to today. That‟s a pity because there are Playful call-and-response between the assume the roles of both melody and so many utterly delightful moments in bassoon and the two violins is only accompaniment, the greater flexibilty these pieces, as Kim reveals for us. one intriguing feature in La Vendetta and fluency of Kat‟s flute makes a very th by 17 century Venetian composer favorable impression. In particular, the They tend to fall into two groups. Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677). Together movements evocative of the dance Numbers 1-6 were composed in the with the beautiful use of cantilena by (Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, main part of Fauré‟s career, and one the composer, who was also a Menuet, and Gigue) seem lither, more finds numerous passing nods in tribute celebrated singer, we are given a lot of dancelike, in the arrangements we are to his predecessors such as Brahms, musical pleasure in the space of only given here. Schumann, Liszt, and especially Felix two and a half minutes. Mendelssohn, in various pieces that Humanity is an Ocean, Kat‟s own play like songs without words. 7-13 Two French contemporaries, François composition in three variations on an were products of his later period and Devienne (1759-1803) and Edouard original motif, is based on a saying of exhibit greater dissonances, frequent Du Puy (1770-1822) are represented, Mahatma Gandhi that counsels us to use of chromaticism, and whole-tone respectively, by a Quartet in G minor trust in humanity: “If a few drops of the scales, in part a response to what was and a Quintet in A minor, both of which ocean are dirty, the ocean does not then happening in French music. show how the bassoon, thanks in part become dirty.” Kat puts a lot of herself to its distinctive penetrating tone, can into her performance, visualizing “a What is a barcarolle? Essentially, it is stand out amidst an ensemble of time when nonviolence, inclusiveness, a music genre inspired by the romantic strings. The former is an example of selflessness, and unconditional love songs of the Venetian gondoliers, Devienne‟s mature galante style, with for all nature and all beings are almost invariably set in a swaying 6/8 the violin competing with the bassoon fundamental values in our cultures.” metre in moderate time that suggests for pride of place in the graceful, (How timely that message is for the oar-strokes of the singer. Do not handsome soloistic sections that offer present-day America!) expect any of Fauré‟s barcarolles to the listener much pure delight. The Du resemble the most famous example of Puy, product of a composer who was The latter half of the program is the genre, that of Chopin in F-sharp also a violinist and singer, combines devoted to Kat‟s compositions based major with a passionate upsurge of virtuosic writing for the bassoon with on poetic texts by her contemporary emotion in the second half. Fauré was intriguing thematic developments in a Ilya Bernstein. The poems themselves not that kind of composer. Mostly, his well-crafted work that never fails to are cryptic enough, in a pithy style that barcarolles win us over with their soft charm the listener. may strike the reader as having caresses in the way of dreamy something of the nature of Haiku in an melodies, liquid tonalities, and a Potpourri on Zampa by Carl Jacobi American setting. The spareness and kaleidoscope of subtly changing (1791-1852) recalls themes from Louis the focus on the individual image are colors. Hérold‟s once-celebrated opera that is certainly there in such a lyric as “A remembered today mostly for its pigeon glides so slowly to the top of a A good example is No. 6 in E-flat absolutely delightful overture. The streetlight that you could almost think major with its sunny mood, its perky carefree rhythms, musical hijinks, and it was a red-tailed hawk,” an melody in start-and-stop phrases, and technical fireworks of the original, observation that recalls the often- its demure second theme, leading to superbly recalled by Jacobi, still make paradoxical manner of Haiku. passages in quirky dynamics in which news in a sparkling account by Lowe quiet, gracefully phrased statements and her friends. Another memorable Bernstein line are answered by loud outbursts before from The White Sail of Solitude the return of the sunny main theme. As Finally, Die gute nacht, die ich dir sage captures the awareness that “Focusing do so many of the 13 Barcarolles, this (The good night which I say to you), a on the pavement with my footsteps I one seems to have been born for a token of endearment by Clara feel awake so deeply I might as well popularity that has somehow managed Schumann to her husband Robert, be asleep,” the paradox being, I to elude it. That is an omission that benefits from Shannon Lowe‟s own suppose, that our minds are never so performances like those we are given intelligent and expressive setting, active as when we are sleeping. Of a here by Namji Kim may help to rectify. making a satisfying conclusion to the desire for permanence, Bernstein present program. counsels the reader, “If you want to walk far along the ocean, I can tell you Let‟s not forget to credit Shannon‟s you must walk the narrow way on hard friends, whose contributions add so sand. Walking on that sand, right after much to a thoroughly enjoyable album: water drains from it, you leave behind Kristin Pfeiffer Yu and Ken Davis, the clearer footprints.” violins; Laurel Yu, viola; Steven Taylor, cello; and Maurice Belle, double bass. The best tribute I can think of in regard to Kat‟s solo flute pieces inspired by Berntein‟s poetry is that they track the poet‟s thoughts as perfect correlatives, in beautiful sine curves of sound that enrapture and illuminate our minds.