April 5, 2024
Emerson Hall, Schwartz Center for Performing Arts
Atlanta, GA – USA
Randall Goosby, violins; Zhu Wang, piano.
Samuel COLERIDGE-TAYLOR: Suite de Piéces, Op. 3
Johannes BRAHMS: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 100 (“Thun”)
William Grant STILL: Suite for Violin and Piano
Florence PRICE: Two Fantasies
Richard STRAUSS: Violin Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 18
Patrick Tabeek | 11 APR 2024
This past Friday, the crowd at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts in Atlanta was given the honor of listening to a dazzling performance by violinist Randall Goosby, accompanied by the brilliant Zhu Wang on piano. Goosby performed works from two greats of the romantic period, Brahms and Richard Strauss, as well as works from greats of African-American classical music, William Grant Still and Florence Beatrice Price, and a work from Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, who himself was inspired by African-American folk melodies.
The performance, as a whole, was enlightening, impressive, and informative. Goosby gave his own interpretations of each piece and some historical background, which I welcome at any performance. Each piece is rooted in history, which allows it to be personified further and make a lasting impact.
The first piece on the night’s program was Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Suite de Piéces, Op. 3. Written when he was a 17-year-old, it was already clear how much brilliance was withheld within the young man. As he was a violinist himself, each of the four brief works (“Pastorale,” “Cavatina,” “Barcarolle,” and “Contemplation”) express particularly the lyrical strengths of the violin. Goosby is exceptionally gifted, not only technically but musically and emotionally. This gift allows him to change color and tone on the finest of dials, providing a compelling story to go along with effortlessly beautiful music.
Next up on the program was Johannes Brahms’ Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 100 “Thun.” Like the previous piece, this is the most lyrical of Brahms’ three violin sonatas and the most difficult to perform, as the lyricism must be balanced with the required virtuosity.
Violinist Randall Goosby in recital at Emerson Hall, Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, April 5, 2024. (credit: Bill Head)
Given the original title of “Sonata for Piano and Violin,” Brahms intended for the piano part to be held in equal regard to the violin. Both performers were undoubtedly up to the challenge, as neither could put a finger wrong, resulting in applause between each movement, a gesture that both Goosby and Wang accepted and encouraged for the remainder of the performance.
To close out the program’s first half was William Grant Still’s Suite for Violin and Piano, in three movements, each dedicated to a sculpture by artists hailing from the Harlem Renaissance. The first movement, African Dancer, is based on the 1933 sculpture by artist Richmond Barthé. Goosby captured the space perfectly between athleticism and beauty, as the piece is technically demanding but only successfully done if the musicality is abundantly present. The second movement, Mother and Child, is based on the 1930 sculpture by Sargent Johnson. Rather fittingly, this movement is a lullaby, soft and gentle, yet filled with love and endearment, as a mother would have for their child. The final movement is based on the 1929 Augusta Savage sculpture, Gamin, which celebrates youth and energy.
After a brief intermission, it was time for Florence Beatrice Price’s Fantasie No.1 in G minor and Fantasie No. 2 in F♯ minor. Price’s work has become a welcome part of any program within the last few years, as her work spans a multitude of styles and performance mediums, even though for a period of time between 1975 and 2009, it seemed that the grand majority of her work was lost. For this reason, it is always a joy to hear her work, especially when performed with great care and finesse, as Goosby has done. Both Fantasies yet again require both technical and musical perfection, as the pieces combine the complex musicality of folk elements and the technicality of classical elements, synthesized into one.
The night’s final piece was Richard Strauss’ Violin Sonata in E♭ major, Op. 18. While the piece follows standard classical form, there is a dreamy, lyrical beauty throughout the piece, which is fitting, considering that at the time of writing, Strauss himself had recently fallen in love with his future wife, and echoes of this are evident. Notably difficult for both violinist and pianist, it was a fitting end for a sensational performance. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Randall Goosby: randallgoosby.com
- Zhu Wang: zhuwangpiano.com/
- Schwartz Center for Performing Arts: schwartz.emory.edu
Read more by Patrick Tabeek.
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