CMNW presents Mozart and a surprising Surprise by Haydn

Tuesday July 18th saw the Chamber Music Northwest Summer Festival present performances by the Brentano and Calidore String Quartets, and guest musicians as well. The concert at the performance space in Portland State's Lincoln Hall consisted of works by Mozart and Haydn.

Mozart's Quartet for Flute and Strings in C Major, K 285b, opened the first half. Tara Helen O'Connor was the flutist, playing together with Mark Steinberg, violin, Misha Amory, viola, and Nina Lee, cello, all members of the Brentano Quartet. O'Connor played in a classic, dulcet Mozartian timbre, varying her sound and bringing out a husky aspiration in the lower register.  Crisp and spritely, O'Connor navigated her way through tricky sections with amazingly agile octave jumps. As an ensemble the group played with an incredibly light and airy blend, yet always with respect for the integrity of the composition. Lee took front and center in the Andantino with soaring bass lines, and Amory played the marvelous solo lines for the viola with a delicate poco saltando.

The String Quartet No 16 in E-flat Major, K 428 was next, and Serena Canin joined on violin. There were interaction issues on the more sparse, thinner passages; the playing felt almost too polite at times. The phrasing and dynamic shifts were somewhat predictable, and pitchiness kept cropping up as an issue. During the final allegro vivace the group rallied for a powerful, exuberant attack, and the phrasing became more engaging.

The second half saw the Calidore Quartet (Jeffrey Myers and Ryan Meehan violin, Jeremy Berry, viola, and Estelle Choi, cello) joined by O'Connor and Andrea Lam on piano, to present a scaled-down version by Johann Peter Salomon of Haydn's Symphony in G Major, Hob I:94 'Surprise.' 

There was clear and concise execution from the first violin in the Andante, and a mellifluous cantabile.  In the Allegro Molto the violins balanced perfectly during the counterpoint, and throughout O'Connor continued to impress by balancing numerous roles--whether as soloist, accentuator, or stand-in for the entire wind band, she was always in control, keenly aware of the tricky place she occupied however rapidly the roles shifted. 

It was fascinating to hear this chestnut stripped down to such a spare ensemble. The group did not make the mistake of trying to convince the audience that they were a full-sized orchestra for this work--rather the impression they imparted was that just maybe this work was composed for a small chamber ensemble, and a fine and accurate impression it was. 

Emerson Quartet delivers triumphant Shostakovich and Beethoven at CMNW

The Emerson String Quartet
Photo by Lisa Mazzucco

Sunday, July 9 at the PSU's Lincoln Performance Hall saw the world-renowned Emerson Quartet present a spectacular and varied concert featuring works by Purcell, Beethoven and Shostakovich. This year's artists-in-residence for Chamber Music Northwest, the Emerson Quartet (Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer, violins, Lawrence Dutton, viola, and Paul Watkins, cello) showed once again why they are among the best of the best, and how fortunate CMNW is to have such a prestigious ensemble as
artists-in-residence for an entire year.

Opening each half were two short fantasias by Henry Purcell, No. 8 in D Minor, Z. 739 to start the concert, and No. 11 in G Major, Z. 742 in the second half. Originally written for viols, in the first fantasia the group presented a fascinating study in timbre, as the group played with an extremely light and delicate bow such that at times, with one's eyes closed it was easy to imagine listening to a chest of viols. The G Major contained wistful, dreamy baroque melodies, and both were over almost as soon as they began.

Shostakovich's famous String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110, provided the meat of the first half. In this piece there is so much 'air,' compared to a structurally denser work such as the Beethoven, and the Emerson Quartet used this to spectacular effect. The early threnody by the first violin over a long, sustained chord from the other instruments was a great example of this: subdued, yet full of color. This tribute to the victims of war gave the impression of a nameless ghost from a nameless atrocity, one among millions, wandering, lost.  The ferocity of the attaca into the Allegro Molto was terrifying, transforming into a ceaseless energico, the main theme bandied back and forth with each performer offering something new. An almost gay dance of the dead gave way to a sadness beyond tears, a bone weary exhaustion, like death by slow heartbreak. The brief cloud break late in the work was surrounded again by a thunder that was never far off.

Beethoven's titanic String Quartet in C-sharp Minor, Op. 131 provided a distinct contrast from the Shostakovich, and displayed the depth that the Emerson is known for. Keen insight and judicious restraint, accompanied by downright explosive oubursts, yielded incredible passion. As a listener, to almost forget that music is being played, and is not something that simply exists in and of itself is an incredible experience. The Emerson quartet forged such a tight synchronization that at times it felt like one instrument. There were many great moments, from the sublime melody by the first violinist in the Allegro Moderato to a comical molto pizzicato that had the audience giggling, to snatches of melody from the viola that cried out ferociously and then as suddenly subsided. As the work progressed they somehow kept eliciting more and more and more sound, yet with no loss of quality, and still even the most whispering pianissimo was as rich in timbre as anything. During the galloping Presto the rapidity of the dynamic shifts and coordination of the infinitesimally delicate filigree was absolutely stunning. The Emerson Quartet's incredible range of timbres, colors, emotions and technique was put to the full test in this ambitious program, and no one in the audience was left wanting for anything.

Portland State Opera Dreams Big

Alan Smith and Whitney Steele as Lysander and Hermia

Portland State University's award-winning opera program continued its string of successes with Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Lincoln Performance Hall on Sunday, April 27. Directed by David Edwards and produced by the PSU Opera Department under Douglas Schneider and Christine Meadows, with the orchestra conducted by Ken Selden, the project was a musically ambitious undertaking, and this production showcased the high level of talent that is possible in a student opera.

The opening fairy chorus wanted for more dynamic contrasts to offset the monochromatic melodic lines, but the blocking was fine...slowly acrobatic and appropriately hypnotic. Their later choruses were more nuanced. When Tytania (Hannah Consenz) took the stage, her presence and vocal ability were immediately obvious. When she sang 'Come, now a roundel' later in the performance, it was haunting, and mysterious--completely engaging.

The vocal requirements for the role of Oberon presented an extreme challenge, and it was nice to hear that Loren Masanque was up to the task. The agility necessary for the rapid and difficult switching between loft and modal voices was certainly within Masanque's capability; to hear him do this while maintaining crisp and near-perfect diction was a real pleasure.

When the merry group of players took the stage, they were shepherded by local favorite Andre Flynn as Quince. His fine, robust baritone and comedic timing were crucial to the success of this element.  While Nickolas Hoback's Puck was appropriately...well, puckish...and acrobatic as well as charming, none stole the show so much as Bottom, played by Benjamin Espana.

Many things contributed to his success: a ceaseless roguish smile and unflappable air were but the starting point. He showed a flair for difficult physical comedy, as well as nuanced timing, and a wonderful voice with great potential. Many of the laugh-out-loud funny moments were thanks to Espana and those interacting with him.

Another performance of note came from Maria Piro as Helena. She displayed perhaps the most polished and mature singing technique of the afternoon, and certainly did not sound like someone singing only her first lead role in an opera. Not only was her voice marvelous but her acting chops were sound as well; convincing and engaging.

Carey Wong's set was muted and understated, but somehow this worked, imparting an appropriately somnolent air to this fairy dreamland. There was a moment where Oberon's costume combined with the lighting and orchestra to unveil a fantastic interplay as Oberon receded into the background, presenting a truly ghostly scene that was a bit eerie...

All in all this was a wonderful production; Benjamin Britten is definitely not beginner's music, and both singers and instrumentalists were up for it and performed admirably. This is a good work to allow many performers a shot at the spotlight, and there were far more wonderful performances than are mentioned here, and a number of the roles are sung by alternate cast members in other performances. Once again, PSU has shown its ability to put on a big-time show, and to do it very well indeed.  There are two more performances; this Friday and Saturday, May 2nd and 3rd at 7pm. Tickets are available online or through the box office.