Between yesterday’s Westminster wizardry and brilliant Brahms (see below), the earlier 1:00 p.m. Chamber V program at Dock Street got momentarily squeezed out – so let me offer you a digest here.
Baroque pieces played on the piano? After a verbal intro advocating just that from Charles Wadsworth (that probably offended any period purists present) Super-soprano Courtenay Budd continued her winning ways in tricky, but gorgeous arias by Baroque masters Handel and D. Scarlatti (the younger). These days, you’d expect to hear such stuff done with the usual basso continuo: harpsichord plus a cello sawing away at the bass line. But here we got Budd’s melting tones on top of Wadsworth’s work at the Steinway (and I agree with him – these old composers would’ve LOVED the modern grand piano, and written for it.). We also got lovely cello obbligatos from Andres Diaz, instead of just a continuo role.
On to the music of two later worthies, beginning with Antonin Dvorak’s Four Romantic Pieces for violin and piano. It’s a shame they’re so rarely heard, as these are among the most winsome and affecting tunes the Czech master ever penned. Violinist Daniel Phillips might not be the most demonstrative violinist around (see to St. Lawrence’s Geoff Nuttall for that), but just close your eyes … all the passion and moving musicality is there. “Wonder Woman” Wendy Chen (Wadsworth’s words, not mine) gave him sympathetic support at the piano.
Franz Schubert was an even better melodist – as we then heard in his big, meaty Piano Trio in B-flat. Doing the honors again were Chen and Diaz, plus Chee Yun’s violin. I gotta tell you that Schubert is my absolute fave composer – I grew up in his hometown (Vienna), and – for me – he’s no doubt been responsible for more soul-searing eargasms than any other composer. Here they flew thick & fast, leaving us limp after it was all over – but not too limp to rise together in a noisy standing O.
“Take this beauty with you,” Doc W told us from the stage. Thank you sir, we did just that. ‘Cause it’s just such fleeting moments of almost unbearable beauty that help make life worth living. You know what I mean.
