Soaring Performances with Eloquence and Passion
Michael Tierra
The program opened with the Aria and first four variations of the Goldberg Variations by J.S. Bach arranged by Dmitry Sitkovestsky for string Trio. This is one of the supreme musical masterpieces of the ages.
Rebecca Jackson, a violinist of personal industry, extraordinary capacity, talent and Founding Artistic Director of the Music In May played along with violist, Alexandra Leem and cellist, Jonah Kim in Bach’s masterpiece which consisted of the Aria and the first four of the variations and a final reprise of the aria.
Audiences and players respond to a performer’s joy and excitement in making music. It is this quality, along with consummate technical and expressive command that is seen in the broad smiling face of cellist, Jonah Kim. With his many performing achievements as soloist, ensemble player and winner of the 2002 Philadelphia Orchestra top performance prize and subsequent solo appearance with the National Symphony Orchestra “Star of Tomorrow, it is no wonder that Joseph McLellan of the Washington Post dubbed him as “the next Yo Yo Ma.”
Next was Mozart’s four movement Viola String Quintet K. 516, no. 4 for two violins, two violas and cello in G minor, a key associated with his more inward-searching mood. This mostly somber introspective work possesses all the finest attributes of Mozart’s genius, an impeccable sense of form and grace, wordless drama, new musical ideas being constantly fabricated from the old and in these mature works, subtleties of expression amidst sudden and unexpected shifting tonalities and cadences. Ever the dramatist, Mozart’s extended instrumental compositions are mini-operas without words and vocal singing, the characters being represented by beautiful melodic fragments occurring and recurring in different contexts and keys. All of this and more is contained in this 30-minute masterpiece.
The G minor quintet has the expressive effect of a chamber music mini “ode to joy” with the last movement beginning with a warm compassionate G Minor adagio which slowly fades concluding in the joyous G major allegro.
This was a memorable performance, restrained by the intelligence and mastery of the players whose shared chemistry seemed at times to the audience, nearly palpable as they energetically played off the musical cues of each other’s parts while creating a unified sense of ensemble.
A string quintet while being an ensemble of equals usually begins with the first violinist as the leader at least for the beginning and ending. Once the piece is underway, the role is passed from one player to the next.
It was clear that the leadership role was largely occupied by Martin Beaver, former first violin of the famed Tokyo String Quartet and cellist, Jonah Kim. All the players were well seasoned chamber musicians however who knew how to energize the music and each other throughout the performance.
As a work that features a second viola, it was richly endowed with special melodic lines expressively played by Alexandra Leem. She, together with the other violist Liang Ping How blended together to form a rich inner texture at the core of the ensemble. It was from this center, that 1st violinist, Martin Beaver and 2nd violinist Rebecca Jackson could soar with lyric abandon.
After intermission, came the concluding work, the four movement Mendelssohn Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 49, featuring Danish pianist, Katrine Gislinge. The piano parts of both of Mendelssohn’s piano trios are as difficult if not more than either of his two piano concertos.
Scattered throughout the faster movements of the piece it seemed the pianist, overcome with the excitement of the music, was carried. Overall this may even to some part of the audience, added to the passionate excitement of the music. The performance may have needed a little more ‘Mendelssoh-nian” restraint, in the manner of that famous recording by Itzhak Perlman, Yo Yo Ma and Emmanuel Axe.
At the conclusion the audience leaped as one to their feet giving a long and vociferous applause requiring the performers to return 3 times for their bows.
The first of the two Music in May programs lived up to its much-deserved reputation as being one of the Santa Cruz musical high points of the year.