Above: double bassist Anthony Manzo
Tuesday December 7th, 2021 - Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center celebrating the start of the holiday season with a program of concerti by great composers of the Baroque period. A brilliant line-up of musicians were on hand, and all evening, we could delight in the vivid playing of Michael Sponseller (harpsichord) and Anthony Manzo (double bass); their continuo in each of the evening's concertos was the super-fine framework upon which this wonderful concert was built.
Oboist Stephen Taylor (above) took center stage first for Tomaso Albinoni's Concerto in D-minor for Oboe, Strings, and Continuo, Op. 9, No. 2;, composed in 1722, it was the oldest work on the program. Albinoni was one of the first composers to write for the oboe. The dance-like, dotted rhythms of the opening Allegro e non presto give way to a flowing accompaniment for the central Adagio. Long, lovely phrases for Mr. Taylor's oboe were beautifully molded, his impressive dynamic control so appealing. The concluding Allegro, which opens with a fugue-like passage, displayed Mr Taylor's fluent technique. Among the ensemble, violinist James Thompson and cellist Edward Arron were new to me, whilst CMS stalwarts Ani Kavafian and Paul Neubauer are ever-welcome.The evening was off to a great start.
Mr. Neubauer returned to the stage, where he, the Korean flautist Sooyun Kim, and Mr. Taylor were the central figures in Georg Philipp Telemann Concerto in E-major for Flute, Oboe, Viola, Strings, and Continuo, TWV 53:E1. The piece was written between 1730-1740, and was the only work on tonight's program in four - rather than three - movements. For this Telemann delight, Mr. Thompson was 1st violin, and Ms. Kavafian took up her viola. Violinist Francisco Fullana and cellist Mihai Marica both made their first appearance of the evening.
Gentle melodies for the featured soloists are woven over the steady beat of the accompaniment in the opening Andante. Sweet harmonies mingle, topped by Ms. Kim's glowing timbre. The cadenza passes from viola to flute to oboe; everything was so smoothly polished and finely-meshed. In the ensuing Allegro, reams of fiorature for the three soloists were blithely tossed off. This is followed by the Siciliano, a slow and gracious dance which Mr. Neubauer leads off, soon joined by the expressive playing of Ms. Kim and Mr. Taylor. The Vivace finale has a jaunty feel: Mr. Taylor plays over sustained notes from the violins, and Mr. Kim's opulent tone shines forth.
Above: violinist James Thompson, photo by Caitlin Ma
The program's first half concluded with Pietro Locatelli's Concerto in G-minor for Violin, Strings, and Continuo, Op. 3, No. 6 (dating from 1733) in which violinist James Thompson's stunning performance evoked a standing ovation. Mr. Thompson - a tall, handsome fellow with elegant posture and a charismatic presence - had the audience in the palm of his hand from note one.
The music commences with a rather hesitant feeling, as though the composer is not quite sure where he wants to take us. Then, soon enough, we are reveling in the violinist's honeyed tone and deft agility: his playing is poetic, yet also has an alluring intensity. Mr. Arron's cello offers fine counter-poise before Mr. Thompson moves into a demanding cadenza, full of technical treats, all delivered to perfection.
The Adagio is rather short: Mr. Thompson poignantly spins out a melancholy song, with Mr. Arron and Mr. Sponseller lending gracious support.
Mr. Thompson wrapped up his early-Christmas gift to music-lovers with a thrilling performance of the concluding Vivace. In a cadenza that demands everything from the player, the violinist kept the crowd on the edge of their seats as he brought forth one magical passage after another. The whooping ovation that greeted Mr. Thompson at the concerto's end was the only possible reaction.
Above: cellist Mihai Marica
The Concerto in A-major for Cello, Strings, and Continuo (c. 1745-52) by Giuseppe Tartini brought forth cellist Mihai Marica; a frequent presence in Chamber Music Society's programs, Mihai's one of my favorite musicians. Looking very dapper this evening, he displayed his mellow tone and polished technique to beautiful effect in this Tartini gem of a concerto.
The ensemble gathered for Mihai's performance consisted of Mssrs. Thompson, Fullana, Neubauer, and Arron, along with our impeccable continuo players. Mihai's phrasing was so cordial, drawing us into the music. He displayed great control in the cadenza, in which his tonal variety and delicate trills charmed the ear.
Mihai's soulful playing filled the Larghetto with one plush passage after another, his depth of tone so appealing at every turn of phrase. In a remarkable cadenza, Edward Arron and Anthony Manzo sustained an incredible note as Mihai gave us further poetry from his cello. Mr. Sponseller's harpsichord joins in near the end, and the movement ends in a sublime fade-away which hung on the air to my great delight.
Mihai's nimble playing in the final Allegro included some delicious trills, which were cunningly etched into the line of the music. The cadenza took the cellist to some velvety low notes. At the end, Mihai was engulfed by warm applause from both the audience and his colleagues.
No program of Baroque music would be complete without Antonio Vivaldi; his Concerto in D-major for Flute, Strings, and Continuo, RV 428, "Il gardellino" (1729). This was one of a set of six Vivaldi concertos for flute - the first such collection to be published in Italy; in it,the flautist imitates the singing of the goldfinch.
"Il gardellino" was ravishingly played this evening by Sooyun Kim (photo above). Looking radiant in a lemon-yellow frock, Ms. Kim dazzled us with her fantastical technique: no goldfinch could rival this woman for sheer sweetness of tone and quicksilver coloratura. Throughout her performance, Ms. Kim interacted graciously with her colleagues; she seemed to charm them into outdoing themselves, making for a delightful atmosphere.
The concerto's vivacious opening Allegro found Francisco Fullana and Paul Neubauer giving exceptional support to the flautist. In the flowing lyricism of the central Cantabile, Ms. Kim cast a spell over the hall, with Mihai Marica and Michael Sponseller working their own magic. As the movement drew to its end, Mr. Manzo's sonorous bass joined in. Bravi tutti!
Now on to the concluding Allegro: Ms. Kim's flute engaged in a spirited dialogue with Mr. Fullana's fiery violin; the flautist then pivoted to engage Paul Neubauer in a similar friendly competition. That particular sense of joy that Vivaldi's music can inspire seemed to fill the hall, and Ms. Kim and her colleagues were fervently applauded.
What better way to end than with Bach: the Concerto in C-minor for Oboe, Violin, Strings, and Continuo, BWV 1060R, written around 1736, put Mr. Taylor and violinist Ani Kavafian in the lime-light. Mssrrs. Arron and Manzo provided the impetus for with the Allegro, which yields to a finely-crafted Adagio. Here, Mr. Taylor's oboe sings over staccati from the ensemble; Ms. Kavafian takes up the melody, with Mr. Taylor harmonizing. Oboe and violin trade phrases as the cello and bass play deep. Then the staccati resume, with Mr. Taylor sustaining an uncanny oboe tone.
As the lively Allegro which ended the evening rolled on, a feeling of comfort and joy enveloped us. Mr. Neubauer embraced Ms. Kavafian as their colleagues joined in the applause.
Above: harpsichordist Michael Sponseller
My friend DK, who attended with me, was not too familiar with the harpsichord; he was quite surprised to see that Mr. Sponseller sometimes crossed his legs while playing, something a pianist couldn't do. I must again salute Mssrs. Sponseller and Manzo...their playing added so much to the luster of the performance.
DK and I were heading out after the final ovation, and I asked if he would like to stay a bit and meet his fellow countrywoman, Ms. Kim. No sooner had he said 'yes' than the flautist was standing before us. They exchanged greetings in their native tongue, and then posed for a photo. Such a nice ending to an outstanding musical evening.
~ Oberon