The wide traveled Horszowski Trio, presently the Trio successful Residence astatine Longy School of Music of Bard College, debuted successful New York successful 2011, and from the first, impressed galore with its intensity—both successful classical and contemporary—as good arsenic for its breadth and imagination. Trio members Jesse Mills, violinist; Rieko Aizawa, pianist and Ole Akahoshi, cellist, are backmost to peripatetic lives with much than a performance per week since past New Year’s. The players instrumentality inspiration from tradition—Aizawa was pianist Mieczysław Horszowki’s last student—and successful uncovering intriguing blends of modern compositions with older works. This twelvemonth the ensemble presents 4 themed concerts present successful Cambridge; the second, “Circle of Inspiration,” enchanted america with a thoughtful nexus done Schumanniana and the satellite premiere of Paul Chihara’s Fantasy, Aka Tombo, oregon Red Dragonfly, expanded from his 2020 version. Mills, the articulate violinist, who besides composes and arranges, introduced the evening’s programme with inheritance connected its selections and Chihara’s borrowings from and homages to Schumann.
Akahoshi, who replaced the group’s archetypal cellist, Raman Ramakrishnan, impressed with his genuinely magnificent “cellismo” tone, on with Aizawa’s masterful collaboration successful Schumann’s Fantasiestücke Opus 73 for cello and piano, which soared lyrically. Written implicit 2 days successful 1849 for clarinet and piano, Schumann noted astatine the clip that cello oregon violin could besides beryllium featured. The 3 short, emotion-laden pieces—Zart und mit Ausdruck (Tender and with Expression); Lebhaft, Leicht (Lively, Light) and Rasch und mit Feuer (Quick and with Fire)— tin determination america to tears, particularly with this cellist.
Chihara based the sanction and themes of Aka Tombo, successful part, connected what whitethorn beryllium Japan’s astir fashionable tune, an evocative and wistful melody. The 84-year-old Chihara, who lives successful the aforesaid New York vicinity arsenic Mills and Aizawa (who are married), delightfully bounded to the signifier to expound connected the work. Rofū Miki published his songbook, Shinjujima (Pearl Island) conscionable implicit a period ago, and the archetypal philharmonic mentation came from Kozak Yamada successful 1927. Expanded and acceptable into a accepted trio phantasy with melodies by Robert Schumann arsenic well, it imparts a peaceful yet sadly longing mood. Chikara noted that his Fantasy includes some touches of Yamada’s melody and psyche from Schumann and Brahms.
Clara Schumann penned her Piano Trio successful G Minor, Opus 17 successful 1817, astir 2 years anterior to her husband’s trio, and purportedly inspiring it. Her work, with its expansive melodies, delivered with delicate phrasing, capped the evening marvelously. The archetypal Allegro Moderato, though filled with lyrical phrasing, has moments of jarring, martial flavor; fixed the movement’s tempo and form, the radical did not find a mode to avert that uncomfortable aspect. I recovered the remainder of the enactment much pleasing. The Scherzo, Tempo di Menuetto needs to beryllium held unneurotic by the pianist, and Aizawa’s amiable playing did so. The 3rd movement, Andante, with its astir nearly maudlin soft introduction, becomes much opinionated arsenic the strings adhd their affect. The last Allegretto offers much easy-listening moments than development, though it has contrapuntal sections interwoven. The Trio’s phrasing acquitted the Allegretto well.
Violinist Mills has already had 2 Grammy nominations. I fishy 1 of these days helium volition get one, and truthful mightiness the full group. Longy volition beryllium hosting the energetic and talented ensemble doubly much this season.
English (US)