Bargemusic (7/9/16)

Bargemusic is a standby for me, of sorts, but I had not visited in a while. I’m glad I went on Saturday. In a recap of a recent concert, we heard Mark Peskanov, violin, with Nina Kogan, piano, playing Beethoven. Specifically the Sonatas for Violin and Piano, although Mr. Peskanov graciously said for Piano and Violin, since the piano has so many more notes. I’m not quite sure, but I’ll defer to the professional. I got to play “New-Yorker-in-the-Know,” since the gal behind me was talking to her son and saying things like she wasn’t exactly sure whether the concert would be outdoors or indoors. I explained that it was, indeed inside on the barge but that there were large windows behind the performers, giving a great view of the NYC skyline. She promptly became a “New-Yorker-in-the-Know” when her husband arrived—but then gave me credit.

Combined with a concert from the week before, one to be played that evening and Sunday, and one more later in the month, Mr. Peskanov and Ms. Kogan are presenting all ten Beethoven Violin/Piano sonatas. Announced from the stage, we weren’t quite sure what we would hear. It turned out that we got all of Sonata No. 1, in D Major, the first two movements of Sonata No.5, in F Major, and the first movement of Sonata No. 8, in G Major. Since we didn’t know beforehand what we would be hearing, it made perfect sense to applaud after every movement (something usually frowned upon in the concert hall, when hearing a piece in its entirety). As always there are two schools of thought about that, too.

Playing first movements of works is usually a gimme, since they are almost always fresh, upbeat and have a strong finish, and that was the case with all three first movements we heard. Not so with the second movement of Sonata No. 1 and No. 5. If I hadn’t started the applause after each, we might still be sitting there!

That said, Mr. Peskanov and Ms. Kogan both play beautifully and with a very good rapport (a big plus, since they’re playing all ten sonatas together). Of note, the scheduled page turner couldn’t make it, so a volunteer popped up out of the audience and did a darned good job of it. Only in New York, kids. Also of note, I got there really early (and they don’t open the barge until fifteen minutes before the concert), so I found a nice little spot to buy and drink a $5 Montauk Driftwood Ale—not a bad way to kill some time before a concert.

If you go, the concerts are approximately one hour in length, start at 4:00pm, and are family concerts—meaning that there are children there, and the audience is sometimes a little more, um, lively than usual. On the plus side, it’s really great to see children and parents attending a classical concert together. There is also a Q&A session after the concert that engages the audience—adults and children—and the performers. You’re never quite sure what you’re going to get when you go to a Bargemusic concert. And that’s part of the experience.

ConcertMeister