September 20, 2024
Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, Emerson Hall
Atlanta, GA – USA
Sarah Chang, violin; Sonya Ovrutsky Fensome, piano.
Johannes BRAHMS: Sonatensatz in C Minor, WoO2
Johannes BRAHMS: Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, op. 108,
Sergei PROKOFIEV: Sonata No. 2 in D Major, op. 94a
Mark Gresham | 23 SEP 2024
Violinist Sarah Chang and pianist Sonya Ovrutsky Fensome performed a stirring recital Friday evening at Emory University’s Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, delivering an engaging program that featured works by Johannes Brahms and Sergei Prokofiev.
They opened the evening with Brahms’ Sonatensatz in C Minor, WoO2, a youthful work written in 1853. Originally part of a collaborative project between Brahms, Robert Schumann, and Albert Dietrich, the “Scherzo” remains one of Brahms’ most vigorous short works for violin and piano. The piece is characterized by its driving rhythms and a stormy, passionate tone, qualities that Chang and Fensome delivered with precision and intensity.
Next on the program was Brahms’ Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108, his final violin sonata. Composed between 1886 and 1888, this four-movement work stands in contrast to the lyricism and intimacy of his first two sonatas. It opened with a restless “Allegro,” where its themes moved with dramatic urgency, building through complex harmonies and textures. Chang skillfully navigated the more turbulent passages while Fensome deftly negotiated the piano part’s intricate textures. The “Adagio” second movement offered a respite, bringing a songlike quality to the violin line, while the “Scherzo” moved with a light yet deliberate energy. The performers gave the “Presto agitato” finale a driving rhythm that propelled the sonata to a fiery conclusion.
Following intermission, the duo shifted into the modernist realm with Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94a, a transcription of his flute sonata composed in 1943. The neo-classical piece featured Prokofiev’s signature blend of lyricism and rhythmic energy, particularly in the “Moderato” and “Scherzo” movements. The introspective mood of the “Andante” allowed for a contemplative exploration of melody, while the final “Allegro con brio” burst with exuberance.
The balance between lyricism and vitality in Chang’s soaring violin and Fensome’s punctuated piano parts was a hallmark of the performance, with both performers embracing Prokofiev’s shifts between playfulness and magnificence.
The audience responded enthusiastically, rewarding the performers with four rounds of ovations. Chang and Fensome gave us the gossamer “Mélodie” from Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice as an encore. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Sarah Chang: sarahchang.com
- Sonya Ovrutsky Fensome: sonyaovrutskyfensome.com
- Schwartz Center for Performing Arts: schwartz.emory.edu
Read more by Mark Gresham.
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