SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

SEEN AND HEARD UK CONCERT REVIEW

Samuel Barber Centenary: James Barralet (cello), Hiroaki Takenouchi (piano), David Butt Philip (baritone), Simon Lane (piano), Clare Hammond (piano), Solstice Quartet (Jamie Campbell – Daniel Roberts (violins), Meghan Cassidy (viola), Gregor Riddell (cello)), David Eaton – James Young (piano duet), Wigmore Hall, London, 15.3.2010 (BBr)

 

Samuel Barber: Cello Sonata, op.6 (1932)

Dover Beach op.3 (1931)

Piano Sonata in E♭ minor op.26 (1949)

Three Songs, op.2 (1927/1934)

Two songs from Four Songs, op.13 (1937/1940)

String Quartet, op.11 (1935)

Souvenirs, op.28 (1952)

This was a very attractive programme celebrating the centenary of one of America’s most lyrical composers. Choosing music from the first half of his career, from 1950 onwards,  there was a preponderance of orchestral music and opera and it was quite an eye opener to realize just when some of his important works were written.

The Cello Sonata is a large (in Barber’s terms) three movement work which exploits the singing quality of the cello, but it also contains a very full piano part. Barralet and Takenouchi gave a full blooded account of the work but it was spoiled by having the piano lid on full stick and Takenouchi played his  part with gusto, but at the expense of obliterating the cello. This seems to be happening quite a lot these days, while on the platform  performers seem oblivious to the problem.

Clare Hammond gave the Piano Sonata, written for Horowitz, a very driven performance which was notable for its intensity and high volume throughout. On occasion the textures were muddied by her heavy handedness, and there was little or no give and take or light and shade here. She played the work at the PLG week in the Purcell Room in January in the same way:  it was an unpleasant performance and Ms Hammond needs to learn to allow the music time to relax and breathe.

Dover Beach is a marvelous work, beautifully laid out for baritone with string quartet, setting words by Matthew Arnold. David Butt Philip possesses a potentially fine voice but his singing can become tiring on the ear very quickly. He  sang both loudly and quietly but there was nothing in between; there was no delicacy. The same problem beset the songs with piano, but here Simon Lane proved himself to be a sympathetic partner and he supported the voice perfectly. He also offered the best solo piano playing of the evening – and despite having the piano on full stick like Takenouchi in the Cello Sonata,  he found a way to make his performance poetic.

The best was kept for last. The Solstice Quartet covered itself with glory in the wonderful String Quartet. In one fast movement, with the famous Adagio in the middle, this is a tersely argued work and the young players fully understood where the music was going and how it all fitted together. The performance of the Adagio grew to a climax of heart wrenching intensity and the ending was powerful and decisive. This is a quartet to look out for.

The Souvenirs suite made a most satisfactory conclusion and David Eaton and James Young displayed some deliciously delightful playing, characterising the various dances which make up the piece with broad smiles on their faces, and playing to the audience as the jokes, partly due to some Stravinskian neo classical 'wrong note' harmonies, flew past. I’d love to hear these young fellows again.

Overall, although this was a well planned show, some of the performers need to have a serious think about how they approach the performance of music, especially when working in partnership with others, and need too to calm down. Intensity and loud volume isn’t always good, nor always welcomed.

 

Bob Briggs