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Barbara Podgurski, piano
Caroline Chin, violin
Jennifer Choi, violin
William Hakim, viola
Jung Kim, viola
Miho Zaitsu, cello
Nova Chamber Artists Presents:
Celebrations
www.novachamberartists.org
Music in Chelsea
St. Peter’s Church in Chelsea
www.stpeterschelsea.com
Nikolas J. Lund
November 19, 2006
Program:
Dmitry Shostakovich (1906-1975)
Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor (Op. 8)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
String Quintet in C major (K.515)
Allegro
Andante
Menuetto: Allegretto
Allegro
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Piano Quintet in E-flat major (Op. 44)
Allegro brilliante
In modo d'una marcia. Un poco largamente
Scherzo: Molto vivace
Allegro ma non troppo
With the sun down by 4 o’clock, Sunday afternoons in November run the risk of being bleak in all the wrong ways for those persons not content to remain at home. An afternoon chamber music concert, however, set in a comfortable a space, proves to be perfectly fine way to meet the challenge of creeping winter. The retreat for me today was St. Peter’s Church on 20th Street, whose dark vaulted ceilings (dating from 1838!) set a perfectly shadowed ambience for a concert presented as part of St. Peter’s “Music in Chelsea” concert series. Upon entering, one instantly notices the warm and dry sound of the space, and one is inclined to agree with St. Peter’s self-assessment as “an acoustic gem.”
The concert this afternoon was presented by the Nova Chamber Artists, a non-profit group founded out of Juilliard, who draw from a pool of extremely talented young musicians to create an ensemble whose line-up varies from one concert (and one piece!) to the next. The concert program boasted a fine pedigree of past venues (Carnegie Hall, Symphony Center of Chicago, and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw), and I was excited to have the opportunity to hear the ensemble in the unique intimacies of this particular space.
When explaining the conception of the musical program to me afterward, violinist Caroline Chin explained that Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 1 in C Minor appealed to her as a seductive “first piece”, not merely because it presents so much beauty in its single movement, but because the musicians felt too that it is somewhat “underplayed” in the chamber music repertoire and thus deserving of its a place at the front of the program. Indeed, it is a lovely and instantly arresting piece. It is music from a mercifully young Shostakovich (written around the composer’s sixteenth year) and is one which indulges in highly ‘romantic’ (read: Tchaikovsky) thematism. Still though, it contains more than a few moments foreshadowing the cosmopolitan ironies of Shostakovich-to-come, and the apparent polarizations within the music were excellently drawn by the attending musicians. I was struck here in particular by the playing of pianist Barbara Podgurski, who conveyed outwardly an extraordinary conscientiousness for her fellow musicians and projected a sense of focus in the ensemble format, which really is more uncommon than one would imagine or hope.
Ms. Chin told me afterwards also that Mozart’s String Quintet in C major was more than literally “at the heart of the program.” Between herself and co-artistic director William Hakim, there seemed to be little specific explanation for why the piece had so strongly appealed to the group (apart from recent 250th anniversary extravagances), but music like this doesn’t need extra-musical qualifications. It was, after all, written externally to the pressing demands of the commissions by which Mozart made his livelihood, and thus a perfect piece to celebrate the pure joy of musical invention and beauty. It is actually a very large and broad one by Mozart’s standards, and one which demands a patient ear across its long and sometimes mysterious lines. It is, nevertheless, filled with plenty of those warm Viennese diminuendos which so readily satisfy the ear, and I was not surprised to overhear many persons afterwards to remark that this had been their “favorite.” The piece overall was played with softer edges and slightly more conservative tempos, but did so to the perfectly-justified end of a strong tone and lyricism.
The last piece on the program, Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E-flat major, was given sufficient space all by itself. It is benchmark piece in the repertoire, and one which does not suffer unduly from obscurity of any kind. It a glorious piece, most certainly among Schumann’s very finest artistic offerings, but presents for all of these reasons and more a great challenge to the performers involved. I was concerned during the Allegro brilliante that the restraint which had been applied to the Mozart to a successful effect would prove in turn to sterilize the Schumann, and that the musicians would leave us with the unfortunate mediocrity which so-often threatens such beloved and idealized works. Nevertheless, by the time the Scherzo came around, the playing was one step away from seat-of-the-pants, and those moments of Schumann-ian mania I had been hoping for were delivered wholly. Here again I was most impressed with the playing of Ms. Podgurski, who brought unflagging rhythmic strength to a difficult work. After the concert was over, I joined her in lamenting the unfortunately limited middle-ranges of the instrument upon which she was playing, but was pleased to confirm that her vivid phrasing (and arm strength!) had redeemed the acoustic situation caused by the piano.
In all honesty, the grey skies and early evening had me tempted to remain within the confines of the domicile today, but my visit across town to hear this exceptional concert proved to be exactly what I needed to revivify my flagging spirits. The concert was presented for free by the artists, with a suggested donation at the door of $10 (an exceptional value) which is directed entirely to assist St. Peter’s with the ongoing renovations of its landmark building. I can only hope that the renovators leave some of that glorious gloom in the ceiling.
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