by Robert Rollin
Last Sunday afternoon, March 30, Youngstown’s Stambaugh Auditorium hosted a marvelous concert by The Arsenal Duo of organist and Girard, Ohio native Edward Alan Moore and pianist Nathan Carterette.
This rather unusual musical combination showed itself to be one of exceptional artistic quality and surprisingly precise ensemble. Both musicians, virtuosi of their instruments, clearly took the requisite time to prepare their varied program carefully. Since very little repertoire exists for this pairing, the Duo used considerable skill and scholarly preparation to produce their musical arrangements.
The afternoon’s highpoint was the George Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue, as arranged by the performers. Moore mentioned that he used Gershwin’s own two-piano version as primary source material. The opening introduction clarinet stop solo displayed the newly renovated Skinner organ’s amazing tonal clarity and delicate articulation. A subsequent melody line on a brassy trumpet stop came to the fore with nicely shaded accompaniment. Carterette performed the virtuoso piano passages with flair and appropriate pianistic spontaneity.