Reviews

Galatea Chamber Music Opening Concert
Galilee Episcopal Church, Virginia Beach
Saturday, August 13, 2022
Review by John Campbell

The opening concert of the new Galatea Chamber Music featured music by Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) and Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). Both string trios were performed by violinist Johnathan Spence, violist Antony Minguez and cellist Jeff Phelps. Mr. Phelps has recently been working in professional arts management with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Dublin, while completing post-graduate study in cultural policy and arts management there.

The opening piece was String Trio in G Minor, JS 210 by Sibelius, written in 1893-94. Sibelius did not complete the second and third movements but, my-oh-my, what fine music is the Lento first movement. His music has been described as "anti-modern modernism”- a personal style that stands outside the notion that there is perpetual progress in music composition. His “unearthly timbres” describes the striking open phrase, repeated several times by violin and viola in unison ending in a single, plucked cello string. The coordinated blend of the three instrumentalists was sweet but sometimes there were tears in the sound. Later, Sibelius created tangles of notes to be gradually unraveled, eventually coming to a somber end, all in nine minutes of playing. There was a brief moment when the playing wavered, seeming about to fall apart but it was a delinquency created by Sibelius and played by this fine trio, just as he wrote it. Another unearthly timbre, perhaps?

With the three String Trios, Op. 9, published 1798, Beethoven brought his composing development to a new, higher level. The first movement, Adagio – Allegro con brio of String Trio, Op. 9, No. 1, had a sweet, warm sound in a dialogue between all three players. The energy was whimsical with a happy exuberance. Johnathan Spence played with great intensity while Minguez and Phelps appeared to be relaxed. Together their playing was precise and all the strings danced together.

The slow, gentle opening of the second movement Adagio is in a smooth, consistent singing style but became more dramatic, only to return to the original relaxed energy. The Scherzo – Allegro offered quick, light playing and ended very soon. The final Presto movement was short with brilliantly played, very quick notes—a flashy ending but short on ideas.

The receptive audience of seventy-five listeners was on its feet immediately in a hearty, standing ovation for Virginia Beach's newest chamber group. To cool us, the encore on this very warm evening was the song Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Margin and Blaine in a string trio arrangement by Jeff Phelps. We enjoyed his arrangement as much as we had the first time we heard it several Christmases ago.

Galatea Chamber Music was started by Dr. Johnathan Spence to show his gratitude and love for the Hampton Roads area and is off to an excellent start. Galatea's Autumn concert is scheduled at Galilee for November 5th and on November 6th they perform the Opening Concert for the Port Warwick Acoustic Concert Series in Newport News. For more information visit https://www.galateacm.com/events