Well, there’s only one more event in this year’s Spotlight Series. I’m dearly grateful for the opportunity to have attended so many of these wonderful and varied concerts this year; and also for the chance to yak away about them here! This evening’s concert brought Chamber Music Charleston to the Spotlight stage for an eclectic mix of works which worked together quite well. This group’s members come from the ranks of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, and all have a great big yen for the more intimate setting found in chamber ensembles. Ably led by bassoonist Sandra Nikolajevs, CMC presented a complex program which, with only a few minor tuning issues, created quite a special evening.

Our program began with Divertissement for Bassoon and String Quintet by French composer Jean Françaix. Ah, French woodwinds! Or, well in this case, woodwind; but does any other national “school” take more joy, or write so drolly for the reedier family of instruments? Sandra talked us through the work before diving in, saying that mid-way through rehearsals, she realized this work was written as a “joke on the bassoonist.” It begins Vivace, at times almost a child’s song at a happy gallop taken to a level of virtuosity only found in children’s dreams. And then, crack! It stops on a dime. The Lento carries a more pastoral quality, and gave an opportunity to focus on our bassoonists tone. There is a keen lightness to her touch which highlights a questioning sense of pleading (especially in this movement…) that I’ve always found so pleasing in this sometimes neglected instrument. Oh, and I forgot to mention her fellow musicians! Our violinists (who traded off first chair duties) were Megan Allison and Frances Hsieh, Katrina Smith played viola, and bringing up the lower end of things were Timothy O’Malley, cello, and Edward Allman, bass. During the Lento, they set a comforting wash of sound which occasionally mirrored the bassoon’s melody. Lovely! Scherzo time! The Vivo assai literally popped and fizzed with reckless abandon, creating a joyful romp out of its angular, but tonal melody. This charming work closes with what may be the most Taoist movement in western art music. An Allegro, which, on the surface, seems to be going nowhere. But it gets “there” anyway. And of course, the final “joke” on our featured instrument comes in the form of just the “two bits” part of “shave and a haircut.” Wonderful!

Next up on our bill of fare? Circle Unbroken, a powerful and heart-warming mix of music by William Grant Still, the words of local author Margot Raven, and the illustrations from her book of the same title by E. B. Lewis. All of this was put together by Sandra in a two year project. Both author and illustrator were in attendance. Narration of this tale through time was provided by Rachel Dowling. As Rachel read the book (the account of an African-American family’s journey from Africa as slaves to the present day), the weaving of sweetgrass baskets formed a cross-generational link; the unbroken circles of the baskets mirroring the unbroken circle of family. Mr. Lewis’ illustrations, projected on a screen beside our musicians, aptly brought life to the words, and captured an “air” of Lowcountry life most locals either miss or take for granted. But the music! Sandra had chosen bits from two of Still’s string quartets to accompany our story, and once again, it hit home for me what a thoughtful treasure of American music there is in this composer’s work. It’s outward seriousness and delicious delicacy reveals a wealth of knowing sorrow, as well as wink-in-the-eye joy. Definitely my highlight for the evening!

Edward Allman rejoined the quartet for our final offering, Antonín Dvořák’s String Quintet in G Major, Op. 77. It starts deep and ominously, but quickly (yet quite delicately…) surges to a quiet Allegro con fuoco. As it moves through its chattering variations, a gradual stoking of the con fuoco leads to an exuberant close. And our audience clapped. I’ve already stated my feelings about applauding between movements, so I won’t rehash that argument, but it did bother me a bit. The Scherzo: Allegro vivace amped up the speed and set us on an incessant pendulum swinging from major to minor and back again. I would offer the lonely little melody that emerges during its quieter section to anyone not convinced of the absolute genius of Dvořák as a writer of melody. And our musicians gave it beautiful life. The more reserved Poco andante masks deep wells of passion and were played with a wonderful blend of deep fire barely concealed by sincere humility. Clapping again ensued. The closing Finale: Allegro assai took a very fast clip, its cascading melody falling through the major/minor pendulum without looking back. Now we really can clap! A standing ovation ensued.