Reviews

NCC: Game of Pairs
May 29, 2023, Chandler Hall
Review by John Campbell

Norfolk Chamber Consort Closes 54th Season with an outstanding evening of Game of Pairs. Jake Keller, President of Norfolk Chamber Consort, introduced the program, pointing out pairs in the program: pieces for two players by the pair of French composers Ravel and Debussy (contemporaries); a pair of Bach inventions; and two concertos by two Bachs, played on two harpsichords; four of five pieces featured the keyboard talents of Oksana Lutsyshyn, two pieces on piano and two on harpsichord.

The opening Violin Sonata (1923-1927) by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) was played by Annika Jenkins, no longer the wunderkind but a polished young adult in a deep red spangled, floor-length gown with a matching headband. She briefly introduced the Ravel Sonata, noting that the second movement was influenced by American jazz, specifically George Gershwin. The piece opened with briefly sounded violin notes, innovative and repetitive with long-held phrases and with Ms. Lutsyshyn playing the three piano melodies that will reappear at the conclusion of the third movement. The second, Blues Moderato movement opened with plucked violin strings. Soon a note-by-note piano tune like a sad “Summertime” emerges with tricky syncopated rhythms. It had a European sensibility but one was wowed by those new violin sounds that provoked a smile. Violin strings were plucked briskly, then followed by a bowed cry and that ended unresolved. The three opening melodies reappeared, one played very fast, chased by another until they came to an abrupt halt. Then strange, engaging rhythms offered ardent and precise playing that carried to the conclusion.

In the second piece, Miss Jenkins was joined by Elizabeth Richards on cello in two Inventions (1723) by J.S. Bach: the D Minor, No. 4 BWV 775 and the G Major, No. 19, BWV 781. Inventions are a name Bach gave to fifteen of his shorter keyboard compositions in two “Voices” that are highly contrapuntal using a short, melodic motif. The crisp playing was wonderful and soon over. In a sense it was an appetizer for the full serving of the concertos after intermission.

For Sonata No. 1 (1915) by Claude Debussy (1862-1918), Ms. Richards was joined on stage by Ms. Lutsyshyn. The dreamy piano and sensuous cello came together in this perfectly poised work with its clarity of textures and eloquence. The piano echoed romantic, large scale forms with the cello extending the statements by repeating the phrases. The piano responded with quirky comments and startling outbursts but all were played with a controlled gentleness. There was a thrum in the cello, and notes that piled on in layers but all was lyrical. Woven into the texture were suggestions of a Bach harpsichord toccata, of free, rhapsodic harmonies in the Sérénade second movement, and an evocation of Spanish guitar in the cello's pizzicato double stopping. The dry, hard chords at the end bring us to a satisfying conclusion.

Mr. Keller pointed out that the two concertos after intermission would offer a great contrast between papa Bach's introverted Baroque and son C.P.E. Bach's (1714-1788) extroverted music (1744), moving toward the Classical period. By the time J.S. Bach wrote his, the concerto was a well developed musical form. His Concerto in F for Two Harpsichords and Orchestra in C Minor BWV 1060 (c. 1734) was played by Jenkins, Richards and Lutsyshyn who returned with Andrey Kasparov (harpsichord II), Gretchen Loyola (violin I), Celia Daggy (viola) and with Jeffrey Phelps as conductor. The Allegro first movement with its warm, enfolding strings and tinkling harpsichords made me feel like dancing. The second, Adagio offered only plucked strings by the quartet which joined the harpsichords with their plucked string sound. The blend was tender and gentle. The final Allegro movement had all bowed strings. Only when the strings were quiet did the harpsichords stand out and the blend was excellent together.

Written some forty years later and in C.P.E. (Carl Philipp Emanuel) Bach's more expressive style, Concerto in F for Two Harpsichords, Orchestra and Continuo opened with a catchy little tune that returned again and again. C.P.E. Bach is considered the most innovative and idiosyncratic of the talented Bach family. He is known for his deeply personal responses to musical conventions of his time and was a most excellent keyboardist and, beginning at age seven, a performer. His piece included two French horns played by Marlene Ford and Jeffrey Warren. The horns added turbulence to the overwhelming number of harpsichord notes delivered quickly and continuously. The dialog between strings and harpsichord offered wide leaps, angular rhythms and flourishes with abrupt dynamic contrasts. The horns, often with brief statements, added to the general air of drama and unpredictability. As things were coming to an end, Andrey Kasparov startled us by playing not one, but two glissandos. And yes, that was thunder we heard during a quieter, second Largo con sordini movement.

The audience of sixty mostly faithful NCC aficionados (sans the usual students since ODU is not in session) bodes well for the coming 55th season of this reliable chamber music group.