Above: violinist Benjamin Beilman
Tuesday May 6th, 2014 - Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center brought forth five superb musicians, playing in varying combinations, for a concert of works mixing classics by Brahms and Schumann with a vividly folkish work by Kodály and a brand new (NY premiere), evocative quartet composed by Zhou Long. The high calibre of musicianship - always the hallmark of the Society's offerings - seems to notch higher and higher as time goes by.
The programme opened with the marvelous and revered clarinetist David Shifrin meeting the inspired and inspiring Now generation pianist Inon Barnatan for the Brahams E-flat major sonata. This was my first time hearing the Israeli pianist live, and what a wonderful impression he made (all evening) with his deeply-felt playing...a pianist unafraid of sweeping Romantic grandeur. Melding with Mr. Shifrin's finely measured dynamic range, the two honored Johannes Brahms' last great chamber work with a graceful, melodious performance.
One of the relatively few duo works for violin and cello, Kodály's three-movement Duo for Violin and Cello (1914) follows the traditional fast-slow-fast pattern. The first movement features constant trade-offs - full of rhapsodic folk-music themes - from one player to the other. The cello solo at the start of the central adagio movement, so soulfully played by Torleif Thedéen, heralds the passions to come. Then the final movement builds to a spirited Presto which takes the players on a merry ride to the finish. As in the opening pairing of Shifrin and Barnatan, Mssers. Thedéen and Beilman found a deep kinship in this music. The rich textures of the cellist's resonant sound set the voice of the violin in high relief. Mr. Beilman's playing - by turns subtle and brilliant, gorgeously sustained and showing perfect control - was a revelation (all evening). To find this level of artistry in such a young musician is indeed rare. The audience were clearly taken with both the work and the playing, calling the men back for an extra bow.
Zhou Long's "Tales from the Nine Bells" was inspired by an ancient Chinese legend of great bells that ring spontaneously without being struck. This twelve-minute work explores the full range of the four instruments, with Mr. Barnatan sometimes hammering away on the lowest notes or reaching into the piano to pluck the strings, then showing his dexterity in rippling passagework. The violin (Benjamin Beilman) and viola (Paul Neubauer) alternately buzz or soar, sometimes evoking a dreamlike other-worldliness. Mr. Shifrin's clarinet creates a flowing sonic calligraphy, and his beautifully sustained, fading solo note brings the piece to a pensive conclusion. One thrilling moment comes when the music, having lingered animatedly in the highest registers, suddenly plunges downward in a cascading tumble. Throughout, the players were so vividly alert to one another, and they seemed keenly focused on meeting the composer's demands. Zhou Long was present and was called to the stage for a bow, where he modestly deflected the audience's applause to the musicians.
And finally: bliss! The Schumann trio #3 in G-minor found the combination of Barnatan, Beilman and Thedéen in a most congenial blending of musicality and personality: they are as fascinating to watch as to hear. The trio, dating from 1851 when the composer was slipping into the realm of madness, is rich in melodic opportunites and the three players seemed to revel in every note and phrase that Schumann gave to them. The playing was epically lyrical and at the end, basking in prolonged applause, the three players embraced with genuine affection.
In a way, this was Mr. Beilman's evening; his playing throughout the season has been remarkable and tonight's programme, which placed great demands on the violinist, showed both his technical mastery and ever-deepening emotional commitment. We have so much to look forward to!
- Brahms Sonata in E-flat major for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 2 (1894)
- Kodály Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7 (1914)
- Zhou Long Tales from the Nine Bells for Clarinet, Violin, Viola, and Piano (CMS Co-commission, U.S. premiere)
- Schumann Trio No. 3 in G minor for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 110 (1851)
This evening's participating artists:
- Inon Barnatan, piano
- Benjamin Beilman, violin
- Paul Neubauer, viola
- Torleif Thedéen, cello
- David Shifrin, clarinet