Midday Masterpieces (12/6/17)

Ji Won Song, violin; Richard Fu, piano

Schumann: “F-A-E” Sonata – II. Intermezzo
Schumann: Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor
Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major
Brahms: “F-A-E” Sonata – III. Scherzo
Sibelius: Mazurka, Op. 81, No. 1

OK, I’m hopelessly behind and out of order, but I did work backwards for a week or so. For those of you reading closely, you’re probably going, “What is an ‘F-A-E’ Sonata, and how did two people write it?” Well three people wrote it! It’s worth a Google/Yahoo! search.

The first work on the program had a slowly rippling piano introduction followed by a song-like violin tune, all in a minor key. It really was not sad and was quite beautiful with its Romantic (rich, lush, easy to listen to) harmonies.

The first movement of the Schumann sonata also had a strong Romantic feel—full and deep, leading into a few pyrotechnics from both players but very enjoyable to listen to. There was drama, though it was a controlled drama. The second movement was calmer yet still full bodied in both writing and playing. It was also easy on the ears and some of the sections had an almost Hungarian/Gypsy feel to them, ending with a lovely, light pizzicato. The third movement was brisk with an almost perpetual motion feel to it. All three movements featured motifs of short, dramatic bursts, with the third closing out with a bang-up finish.

The Brahms sonata opened with lyrical and richly Romantic sections balanced with sections that had more speed and more volume that bounced back and forth between lyrical and forceful. The second movement was calmer and quieter to begin with, moving into slightly jaunty, with lots of musical ideas jumbled together in a pleasant way. The last movement was solid and relatively straightforward while adding a mix of styles and phrases, followed by a surprisingly subdued ending.

The “F-A-E” scherzo by Brahms was brisk and dynamic, with pushed rhythmic phrases that were quite dramatic at times. Hmm, maybe I should seek out a recording (or a live performance) of the entire “F-A-E” sonata.

The Sibelius mazurka that closed out the program had a Gypsy flavor and also had sweet, dance-like phrases and tunes, with swoops, sweeps and plucks—all utterly charming! Both players were strong and charming throughout the hour-long concert. Thank you, WQXR and Juilliard for teaming up with this great performance series. I’ll be back for more.

ConcertMeister