April 21, 2024
Trinity Presbyterian Church
Atlanta, GA – USA
Zach Boeding, oboe; David Coucheron & Jessica Shuang Wu, violins; Zhenwei Shi, viola; Joel Noyes, cello; Elizabeth Pridgen & Julie Coucheron, piano.
Robert SCHUMANN: Fantasy Pieces
Charles Martin LOEFFLER: Two Rhapsodies
Felix MENDELSSOHN: Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66
Antonín DVOŘÁK: Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major
Mark Gresham | 26 APR 2024
German-American violinist and composer Charles Martin Loeffler emigrated to the United States in 1881 and settled in Boston, Massachusetts. There, he joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as assistant concertmaster and remained a member until 1903, when he resigned from the orchestra to devote himself to composition.
During his lifetime, the Boston Symphony regularly performed his orchestral compositions. Other American orchestras also performed them, although the Boston Symphony almost all. Among his best-known works were a handful of symphonic poems, a song cycle, and several chamber works, including his Two Rhapsodies for oboe, viola, and piano.
The Georgian Chamber Players began their recent Sunday afternoon concert at Trinity Presbyterian Church with Loeffler’s Two Rhapsodies, performed by oboist Zach Boeding, violist Zhenwei Shi, and pianist Julie Coucheron.
Violist Zhenwei Shi, pianist Julie Coucheron, and oboist Zach Boeding perform Charles Marin Loeffer’s “Two Rhapsodies.” (credit: Niki Baker)
GRAF
The Two Rhapsodies showcased the composer’s poetically lyrical, impressionist style, influenced by French and Russian music and Symbolist literature and music of Franck, Chausson, and Debussy.
In the first, “The Pond,” the piano sets a somber tone, joined by the viola, gradually building into a harmonious interplay among all three instruments. Evoking the imagery of a tranquil pond, the music navigates moments of tension and calm before coming to a melancholic conclusion.
The second, “The Bagpipe,” opens with a bold piano statement, followed by a lively exchange between oboe and viola. A spirited rhythm ensues, evoking a sense of carefree joy. The viola occasionally mimics a bagpipe’s drones, while the oboe emulates the bagpipe’s chanter, playing the melody. The piece concludes with all instruments blending into a peaceful harmony.
The combination of oboe, viola, and piano is relatively uncommon but proved intriguing and attractive, as was the excellent performance. The acoustics of Trinity Presbyterian were highly supportive of the instrumental combination, as was also the case with the familiar trio that followed: Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66, played by violinist David Coucheron, cellist Joel Noyes, and pianist Elizabeth Pridgen.
The Trio showcases Mendelssohn’s mastery of form and melody. The stormy first movement echoed the character of his Hebrides overture and Scottish Symphony. The second movement introduced a gentle lullaby in the piano part, and then the violin and cello entered gently over the piano’s cradle-rocking line. The lively, challenging scherzo featured playful imitative passages and high energy. The finale, the most famous movement, opened with an unusual upward leap of a ninth in the cello. Notably, the movement incorporates a pair of 16th-century melodies: the Lutheran “Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ” and a Genevan Psalter tune that Anglophones know as “Old Hundredth,” bringing the work to a memorable conclusion.
Vilinist David coucheron, pianist Elizabeth Pridgen, and cellist Joel Noyes perform Mendelssohn’s “Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66.” (credit: Niki Baker)
After intermission, violinist Jessica Shuang Wu joined the Coucheron siblings, Shi, and Noyes for Antonín Dvořák’s Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major. Lasting around 40 minutes, the Quintet offers the listener a rich musical journey.
The opening movement began softly, with a graceful cello melody above piano accompaniment, leading to intricate variations. The second subject, introduced by the viola, added a busier, lyrical layer. The movement unfolded through extensive development, culminating in a vibrant recapitulation and a lively conclusion.
The second movement, a Dumka, showcased Dvořák’s mastery of contrasting emotions. Following a pattern of melancholy piano refrains interspersed with joyful interludes, it weaves through a seven-part rondo structure, each return of the “dumka” section deepening in texture and expression. The third movement, a Furiant, bursts forth with the fervor of Bohemian folk dance. Pizzicato rhythms underscored a lively violin tune, leading into a spirited trio section before returning to the frenetic dance, which ended with a vigorous flourish.
In the spirited, more light-hearted Finale, the principal theme evolved into a fugue in the development. A chorale-like section, marked tranquillo, augmented the theme’s note lengths to offer a serene contrast before accelerating towards a lively finish, where the quintet races to its exhilarating conclusion.
The musical chemistry between the musicians in this Quintet was exceptional. It brilliantly concluded a concert that featured top-level performance from start to finish. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Georgian Chamber Players: davidfinckelandwuhan.com
Read more by Mark Gresham.
RECENT POSTS
Robert Spano’s ASO comeback: a masterful mix of living composers and resplendent Rachmaninoff featuring Garrick Ohlsson • 11 May 2024
High on Bach: violist Yinzi Kong delights with solo suites in a spaciously airy Robinson Atrium • 08 May 2024
.png){kind=logo}