PREformances with Allison Charney (2/25/13)

First, some backstory, then the program.

PREformances is billed as a program that presents artists performing pieces while still in the learning process, or in the learning-how-to-perform-them process. That’s not quite what we got on Monday night at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan, a new venue to me. I attended as a guest via a giveaway from WQXR (NYC classical station, built on the public radio concept). Thank you, WQXR—thank you for a lot of things. (And yes, I am a member, and yes, my contribution has increased from year to year—go, ye, and do likewise—there, off my soapbox now.)

The PREformers included Allison Charney (soprano), Kajsa William-Olsson (cello), and Carol Wincenc (flute), all ably assisted/accompanied by Bryan Wagorn (piano)

The Program

Quando m’en vo (Musetta’s Waltz) (La Bohème), Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924)
Sonata for Cello and Piano in d-minor, Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Salce, Salce…Ave Maria (Otello), Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)
Achat Sha’alti, Paul Schoenfield (b. 1947); Syrinx, Debussy; Cantabile et Presto, Georges Enesco (1881–1955) – all for flute
Zueignung, Richard Strauss (1864–1949)

These were not quite PREformaces, since most (if not all) of the works, except for the scene from Otello, seemed to be works that the players knew very well and had under their belts, so to speak, very well.

Musetta’s Waltz was included so that there would be something upbeat on the program. Throughout, Ms. Charney sang well, though there was some patchiness to my ears. Still, she has power and can also really float beautiful sounds.

The Cello Sonata was written late in Debussy’s life, but displayed very avant garde sounds and techniques. The playing (both cello and piano) was superb throughout. Even though these were new techniques and new sounds, all three movements always made sense musically—it didn’t seem to be technique for technique’s sake.

With the scene from Otello, Ms. Charney explained some of the things that she was working on, in preparing the piece. She had interactive moments, having the audience try to determine what soft, softer, and softer still, sounded and felt like; then stated that she had to explore what soft was so that the others would be balanced and make sense. We (the audience) also explored the meaning and difficulty of the exact same pitch repeated a few times. Ms. Charney made her points and then made them musically in her PREformance.

Discussion with Ms. Wincenc told us that the first piece, by Mr. Schoenfield (flute and piano), was composed for her. How cool is that? It was an interpretation of Jewish chant (or psalmody? I was jotting a few words and phrases as best I could), with a bit of a haunting melody. Apparently, Debussy’s Syrinx (solo flute) was composed as music for a play/ballet, and was originally played offstage. To enhance our listening experience, the stage and house lights were extinguished, and Ms. Wincenc played the entire solo in the dark. Very interesting. The Enesco (flute and piano) was quite nice with some technical pyrotechnics for both flute and piano. And I will say, again, Mr. Wagorn was as solid as a rock throughout the entire concert.

The Strauss (English title, Dedication) was a heartfelt rendition of what it is to honor someone else—something we should all remember to do a lot more often.

ConcertMeister