May 5, 2026
“Reverberations”
Live Oak Friends Meeting House
Houston, Texas – USA
WindSync (Garrett Hudson, flute; Noah Kay, oboe/English horn; Graeme Steele Johnson, clarinet; Anni Hochhalter, horn; Kara LaMoure, bassoon); Balourdet Quartet (Justin DiFilippis, violin; Angela Bae, violin; Benjamin Zannoni, viola; Russell Houston, cello).
Osvaldo GOLIJOV: Tenebrae (2002), arr. Kara LaMoure
Viet CUONG: Compass for clarinet and string quartet (2025)
Maurice RAVEL: String Quartet in F Major (1903)
Lawrence Wheeler | 9 MAY 2026
For ten years, the woodwind quintet WindSync has presented its Onstage Offstage Chamber Music Festival. Taking advantage of its portability, the group presents performances across Houston. This evening, the Balourdet Quartet joined them at the Live Oak Friends Meeting House in the Houston Heights area. The intimate setting features the One Accord Skyspace by James Turrell, with seating in a square. The program, titled “Reverberations,” refers to the live acoustics of the performance space, as well as musical references in the pieces performed—works by Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov, Vietnamese composer Viet Cuong, and French composer Maurice Ravel.
Golijov said: “I wrote Tenebrae as a consequence of witnessing two contrasting realities in a short period of time in September 2000. I was in Israel at the start of the new wave of violence that is still continuing today, and a week later, I took my son to the new planetarium in New York, where we could see the Earth as a beautiful blue dot in space. I wanted to write a piece that could be listened to from different perspectives. That is, if one chooses to listen to it ‘from afar,’ the music would probably offer a ‘beautiful’ surface but, from a metaphorically closer distance, one could hear that, beneath that surface, the music is full of pain.” Tenebrae is Latin for darkness, and refers to a Christian religious service held during Holy Week that involves the gradual extinguishing of candles to symbolize the darkness of Jesus’ death. With echoes of the music of Baroque composer François Couperin, the piece was originally scored for soprano, clarinet, and string quartet. It was later adapted for strings alone—either a string quartet or a string ensemble.
Balourdet Quartet. L-R: Benjamin Zannoni, Justin DeFilippis, Russell Houston, and Angela Bae. (credit: Kevin W. Condon)
WindSync bassoonist Kara LaMoure made an arrangement for woodwind quintet, substituting English horn for oboe. Some things were lost in translation. The string version of the piece includes extensive use of tremolos, either on a single note or between two pitches. These are used as a textural effect and should be much softer than the melodic line they accompany. On the wind instruments, these were often too prominent. Golijov also writes ponticello, a string technique where the bow is placed near the bridge, giving a glistening metallic sound. This is not easily reproduced on wind instruments, although the flute can come closest. The opposite technique is flautando, where the bow floats over the string away from the bridge. Again, the flute can come closest. Another element is the application of vibrato—using little or no vibrato reflects a Baroque aesthetic. This was inconsistently achieved. The clarinet can play quite softly, but it is not easy for the English horn, bassoon, or French horn to play equally soft. This dynamic threshold reduced the ethereal “from afar” perspective. The performance ended loudly rather than fading away, as written. Aside from a few underpitched notes in the French horn, the group played well, given the inherent challenges.
WindSync clarinetist Graeme Johnson asked composer Viet Cuong to write a piece for clarinet and string quartet, specifically the Balourdet Quartet. This evening was their first performance of the work—it was a resounding success. Cuong has strong family ties, and Compass refers to their journey and struggles coming to America. The string quartet represents the four points on a compass, and the clarinet a traveler. The three upper strings set rhythmically disjointed fast notes while the cello stabilizes with a sustained note—perhaps the North Star. Clarinet and strings trade sustained and staccato notes. The strings alternate bowed and pizzicato notes. The violins took turns completing each other’s motifs while the clarinet responds, converses, and debates. At one point, Johnson played an impossibly high C. A fugato section near the end made the cross-references clearer—echoes equal memory. As with the quartets of Leoš Janáček, it sounds as if more people are playing. All elements contribute to a fascinating technology-oriented texture. The performance was captivating and thrilling.
Ravel’s string quartet is one of the standards of the repertoire, posing great technical as well as musical challenges. It was part of the Balourdet Quartet’s highly successful Carnegie Hall debut last December, making this performance highly anticipated. By all accounts, it exceeded expectations. Not only were the individual parts wonderfully executed, but the spirit of collaboration reflected the highest ideals of chamber music. Subtle adjustments were made based on the performing space and the creative rather than recreative moment. The musicians’ intimate familiarity with this quartet provided a framework rather than a blueprint—intonation served harmony and melody, rhythm had an organic pulse, and dynamics and tone color were tools of expression. No player stood out except through musical necessity. Their stunning ensemble is the product of mutual respect and support based on the principle, “Correct, don’t judge.”
The first movement exhibited flexibility and structure without becoming episodic. Voices entered and exited seamlessly, preserving the flow. The repeated lines in the first and second violins musically expressed empathy and love. Internal balance allowed the listener to follow rapidly shifting melodic lines while maintaining textural clarity throughout. Dynamics were carefully observed, from ppp through fff.
The pizzicato second movement was played at the prescribed brisk tempo—with energy sans twang. The contrasting Lent middle section was expressively played by cellist Russell Houston, followed by violist Ben Zannoni. First violinist Justin DiFilippis played well-tuned octaves, while second violinist Angela Bae played the pizzicato guitar-like melody in rhythmic augmentation. The pizzicato main melody returned with renewed energy, ending with one A-chord that shook One Accord.
The expressive third movement, marked Très lent, is the heart of the quartet. Musical smoke and perfume create a sensuous setting, sensitively portrayed by the quartet. Viola is prominently featured, with Zannoni using a suave tone and lively vibrato to great effect. Swirling arpeggios add color to passionate violin melodies, concluding with exquisitely played tender melodies that echo the first movement.
To begin the final movement, Vif et agité, the quartet exploded with unbridled energy in quintuple meter. The tempo did not subside during a triple-meter transition that continues to alternate with the quintuple-meter theme. The musicians played with finely honed precision, driving to a celebratory conclusion.
The following night (May 6), they again collaborated with WindSync in a performance of Gustav Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- WindSync: windsync.org
- Balourdet Quartet: balourdetquartet.com
Read more by Lawrence Wheeler.
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