Paper #5 Off Campus Concert

Clint Ashley Spires

MUSIC 101

12/11/09

#5 – Off-Campus Concert

I attended an off-campus concert on Thursday, December 10, 2009. The concert was a student recital at The Julliard School in the Paul Hall. There were 4 performances. Each performance consisted of two students each- always one playing the piano, the other varying between violin, flute and cello. Of course, being that these students are Julliard trained, the performances were spot-on and impeccable. The concert was entitled Sonatenbend CXXXVIII (138).

The first performance was a work by Beethoven entitled Sonata No. 5 for Violin and Piano in F Major, Op. 24 (“Spring”). It was performed by violinist Clara Lee and pianist Jillian Zack. There were 4 movements total. This is the first piece where Beethoven decided to bend the rules and give both instruments equal billing, so-to-speak. Prior to this piece most violin sonatas were written for piano first and the other instrument secondary. The sonata starts off with Allegro in a major mode with the violin playing the main theme. The theme then repeats with the piano featured. The first movement is serene and tranquil until it changes mode dramatically to a minor key. The two instruments exchange conversation throughout. It moves on to Adagio Molto Espressivo and on into Scherzo where the piano takes the lead and the violin chases by a time difference of about one or twoseconds. The piece finishes with Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo and the entire sense we get of this piece is a playful spring-like quality.

The second performance was of a work by Brahms entitled Sonata No. 1 for Cello and Piano in E Minor, Op. 38 played by cellist Nan-Cheng Chen and pianist John Arida. Both were very good players. The piece consisted of three movements. Starting off with Allegro non troppo, the main theme is repeated many times and drawn out and takes up over half of the overall playing time. The first movement switches modes often from minor to major and brings about a need for some resolve. The second movement Allegretto quasi Menuetto starts and stops repeatedly giving way to the opening of the emotional floodgates in the final movement Allegro.

The third performance was the most interesting and odd to say the least. It was by far the shortest piece. Le Merle Noir or The Blackbird is a work by Messiaen who studied the songs of birds to find inspiration for his works. This is actually the first piece where he literally notated and transcribed an actual song of a bird and used it in his composition. The piece is played by (alto) flautist Jessica Han and pianist Alan Hamilton. The performance date of 12/10 was also Messiaen’s birthday, coincidentally. The piece was written to showcase the flautist’s virtuoso abilities and alternates between fast spurts and legato interludes. It is arranged in three sections with the second being an extended version of the first followed by a coda. It is a classic example of AAB form. It mimics the Blackbird quite well and often gives the flautist solo episodes with no piano accompaniment.

The fourth and final piece was the break out performance. The best was definitely saved for last. Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor, Op. 40 by Shostakovich was well played

by cellist Thomas Mesa and pianist Erika Allen. I’ve never heard of this composer until seeing this performance, but there was so much passion in this piece that I am a fan now and will definitely seek out more of his works. Thomas Mesa showed true mastery of the cello and at times it seemed the instrument was just an extension of his body. He really connected with the material, the instrument and the audience. The piece is written in 4 movements. The first movement, Allegro non troppo, consists of two themes that are repeated in various motifs and tonal changes throughout. It is a haunting and captivating first movement that goes on to a chaotic scherzo, Allegro. The composer calls for harsh sawing on the cello while the piano provides lush, heavy melody contrasting each other.

The third movement, Largo, is slow and eerie. It drags along and then never seems to actually end as the composer leaves the listener just hanging in silence waiting for a resolution. However, the fourth and final movement does kick in with a build up to an enormous, dazzling finish that never actually materializes. Again, the composer leaves the listener wanting more but is basically saying this all you are going to get. This piece holds the attention of the listener and plays with one’s emotions.

By far, this is one of the best pieces of music I’ve ever heard. There were some not-socommon types of instrumentation on the cello throughout the piece like a plucking on the strings, pizzicato, as well as hard sawing motions and also back-to-back slides with a single finger from high pitches to low pitches on the strings over and over. These techniques were refreshing and kept the piece interesting and alive.