by Jarrett Hoffman
Trumpeter Jack Sutte and pianist Christine Fuoco are on a mission to bring trumpet sonatas into the mainstream classical music conversation, beyond just the dialogue of trumpet players. To that end, they’ve embarked on a long-term collaboration, both onstage and in the recording studio. Mettle: SonataPalooza I – Vol. I is the first disc to come of this project, and represents quite the convincing opening argument.
by Jarrett Hoffman
Musicians are not necessarily known for their acrobatic abilities, but jumping through one or two hoops has become an important part of their job description.
That’s exactly what Scott MacPherson and the Cleveland Chamber Choir did for the second performance of their sixth season. Masked and spaced several feet apart, the ensemble gathered for a recording session in the resonant space of a Train Avenue warehouse on Cleveland’s West Side last month. The resulting video — “Madrigals of All Times,” released on May 15 — is excellent in programming, performance, and production.
Two central threads run through MacPherson’s mosaic of madrigals: world premieres, and pairings of Renaissance and 20th-century pieces, which in several cases are set to the same text. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
A virtuoso is a highly skilled performer, and a virtuoso performance is one that astonishes the audience by its feats. In ancient Greece the cities would hold male competitions in acrobatics, conjuring, public reciting, blowing the trumpet, and acting out scenes from Homer’s epics, the winners of which would have been praised as virtuous, or “full of manly virtues.” —Merriam-Webster
Those “manly virtues” are fully displayed by violinist Alan Choo, trumpeter Steven Marquardt, and their five male colleagues in “Virtuosity: Fireworks from J.S. Bach,” the latest video from Apollo’s Fire. [Read more…]
by Jarrett Hoffman
The Rocky River Chamber Music Society’s live-streamed 62nd season came to a rousing conclusion on Monday, May 17, when five wind players and a pianist came together around quintets by masters of old and new.
Anton Reicha’s 24 woodwind quintets don’t have the most exciting reputation, but his Op. 88 in E-flat is superb: beautiful, varied, and in the right hands, compellingly picturesque. Those right hands (and left ones too) were those of flutist Mary Kay Fink, oboist Frank Rosenwein, clarinetist Robert Woolfrey, hornist Richard King, and bassoonist Barrick Stees, who together gave a first-rate performance, both deeply polished and deeply fun.
by Jarrett Hoffman
After greeting an in-person audience the night before at Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus, a mixed quartet from CityMusic Cleveland performed for an audience unseen on Saturday, May 15, thanks to the live-streaming capabilities of the Maltz Performing Arts Center.
The program was worth repeating, especially for the finale, Amanda Harberg’s Lucas’s Garden. Inspired by the section of the family garden over which her son Lucas has free rein, the piece appeals with its directness of expression and its unique, varied language, conveying a thoroughly original sense of happiness in music.
by Timothy Robson
“We are so happy to be performing in front of a live audience again. Just saying the words gives me shivers.” These were the words of Mark Holloway, violist in the Pacifica Quartet, at their splendid performance with clarinetist Anthony McGill, presented by Tuesday Musical on May 4 at E.J. Thomas Hall.
In addition to Holloway, the quartet members are Simin Ganatra and Austin Hartman, violins, and Brandon Vamos, cello. The audience was intentionally limited to 300, with strict social distancing and required face masks. There was a muted but celebratory atmosphere in the hall as friends greeted each other. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
Before orchestras settled on the time-honored program formula of overture, concerto, and symphony — which many still observe — musical evenings were more varied and could include solo songs, piano pieces, and chamber music, in addition to orchestral works.
In the tenth episode of In Focus, which debuted on May 6, The Cleveland Orchestra has revived that tradition on a small scale, programming an arrangement for oboe and piano of a Ravel solo piano piece and following it by a set of variations for string orchestra — a lovely combination of varied works that makes a satisfying, one-hour program. [Read more…]
by Jarrett Hoffman
Percussion music is full of nuance, but you can also boil it down to the single, simple action of striking something. And whether you’re the one doing that, or you’re watching it happen, it can be cathartic, which is one reason why that genre might feel particularly welcome during a time that still has its share of anxiety.
Indeed, catharsis was on full display — as well as beautiful theatricality and impressive subtlety — during a live-streamed concert by taiko ensemble Yume Daiko on April 25 at the Maltz Performing Arts Center, presented as part of the venue’s Silver Hall Series. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
Marc Damoulakis’ performance of Conjurer, John Corigliano’s percussion concerto, may well go down as one of the most spectacular events of the COVID-19 era.
In Episode 9 of The Cleveland Orchestra’s In Focus series, its principal percussionist dazzled both eye and ear with the 40-minute work. Written for Evelyn Glennie and commissioned by seven orchestras, Conjurer deployed a vast collection of instruments across the Severance Hall stage as it brought Damoulakis from his usual spot in the back row to front and center.
by Mike Telin
Located on the campus of the University of Akron, the concrete structure that is E.J. Thomas Hall is a formidable space. With a seating capacity of 2,955, it is not the first venue that comes to mind when you think of enjoying an intimate musical experience. But in a concert presented by Tuesday Musical on April 20, Edgar Meyer proved that a great musician is capable of making a large hall feel small.
Alone onstage with his bass, looking out into a socially distanced crowd of around 300, Meyer presented a mesmerizing 70-minute recital that featured music from the Baroque to bluegrass. Playing with the precision of a champion figure skater, Meyer’s fingers glided from one end of the instrument’s fingerboard to the other, flawlessly negotiating the tightest of turns — the guy has technique to spare — and sticking the landing of each musical leap, his intonation pitch-perfect. Above all, his artistry was beyond reproach.