Midday Masterpieces (9/12/18)

Jordan Bak, viola; Ji Yung Lee, piano
(And his last name is pronounced 'Bach' and I'm biting my tongue.)

Le Grand Tango (1982) – Astor Piazzolla
Fantasia No. 9 in B minor, TWV 40:22 (1735) – Georg Philipp Telemann
Viola Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 120, No. 2 (1894) – Johannes Brahms

This was the opening concert of season three of Midday Masterpieces. It is a series, sponsored by WQXR and the Jerome L. Green Foundation, featuring up-and-coming Juilliard students. The hour-long concerts make for a nice break in the day. Interestingly, the first piece on the program was originally written for violin and piano; the second was originally for solo cello; and the third was originally written for clarinet, though Brahms himself created this transcription for viola, with minor adjustments to suit the viola.

The Piazzolla, played from memory by Mr. Bak, was very energetic though it also had a sense of being subdued. A second section was slightly haunting, while a third was a mix, but mostly high energy with touches of jazz. It was a great way to start the concert.

The Telemann, also played from memory, is a solo work for viola (here). It had a rather simple opening, with a few double stops added—this is where the violist plays on two strings at once to add a touch of harmony to the solo instrument. The second movement was brisker, with pleasant dance rhythms. The last movement was also brisk and interesting for the most part. Mr. Bak played with style and grace, standing there dead center stage, all by himself.

The first movement of the Brahms, played here from the score by Mr. Bak, had a very pretty theme in the Romantic style, sweeping at times and introspective at others, and included a couple of phrases that sounded as though they wanted to become a song. The second movement was bold, with phrases bouncing back and forth between the viola and the piano, often with a sense of urgency. These were mingled with some tender phrases, a chorale-like piano section, a gentler section for both players, a return to a variation of the opening theme, and then a tender ending to the movement. The third movement began with a fairly simple theme that was also varied in smaller, contrasting sections. The theme itself somehow gave me a feeling of hope. Both players were very expressive and attentive to each other. That even carried over to the page turner—at times, I thought I was watching a miniature version of choreography, with all three moving, ever so slightly, in unison. It was a nice touch.

Mr. Bak spoke effectively from the stage in introducing and explaining each piece, and as each one finished you could tell that he was really having a good time. I was, too. I’ll be returning for more masterpieces throughout the season.

ConcertMeister