Tag: mclin

ProMusica brings lush Vaughan Williams and vibrant Piazzolla to St Mary

On By Sam JacobsonIn columbusLeave a comment

ProMusica Chamber Orchestra
David Danzmayr, conductor
Katherine McLin, violin
St. Mary Catholic Church
Columbus, OH
March 20, 2022

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Piazzolla: The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires (arr. Desyatnikov)

Encore:
Piazzolla: Adios Nonino

Nestled in the heart of German Village, Saint Mary Catholic Church – a structure that dates back to 1868 – recently underwent an extensive restoration, and proved to be a gorgeous setting for last weekend’s ProMusica performance. The program opened with Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, and the plaintive theme reflected the solemnity of the setting in this glance backwards in English musical history. Though the heavy reverb in a church can create acoustical challenges, here the resonance seemed to further enhance the richness of the strings – and indeed, the work’s 1910 premiere occurred at Gloucester Cathedral. The work is scored for double string orchestra with string quartet, and one was struck by the clarity of the interplay between the various subsets of the ensemble.

ProMusica at St Mary, photo credit ProMusica

The remainder of the evening was devoted to Piazzolla, continuing the celebration of his centenary begun at last month’s chamber music concert. The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, rendered in Spanish as Estaciones porteñas – porteño being the demonym for one from a port city, though it chiefly refers specifically to the Argentine capital – paints a colorful, vibrant portrait of the composer’s homeland. The work was presented in its arrangement by Leonid Desyatnikov, recast so as to highlight connections with its Vivaldian predecessor, including some direct quotations from Vivaldi, and scoring for string orchestra with violin soloist, a role undertaken with aplomb and verve by concertmaster Katherine McLin.

A sultry energy began the opening Otoño porteño, and a series of glissandos showed the composer to be a master of effect. A languid lyricism offered some pointed contrast. Invierno porteño was noted for its substantial passage for cello (Marc Moskovitz), thorny at first but melting into the songful. Given the concert’s coincidence with the vernal equinox, Primavera porteña was certainly the most topical – and perhaps the most ardently lyrical of the set, though not without some sprightly violin acrobatics. Verano porteño made for a vigorous finale with some particularly striking timbres achieved through sul ponticello playing from the soloist. Danzmayr and the orchestra offered a further Piazzolla work as an encore, Adios Nonino. Touchingly lyrical and with rich chromatic harmonies, it burgeoned into a big-boned, almost Hollywood-esque sumptuousness. The performance was billed as “a delightful evening” – a promise amply delivered upon.

Soloists shine in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto at ProMusica

On By Sam JacobsonIn columbus2 Comments

ProMusica Chamber Orchestra
David Danzmayr, conductor
Katherine McLin, violin
Marc Moskovitz, cello
Spencer Myer, piano
Southern Theatre
Columbus, OH
January 23, 2022

Coleridge-Taylor: Four Novelletten, Op. 52 – Nos. 3 & 4
Beethoven: Triple Concerto in C major, Op. 56
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56, Scottish

A true rarity – and wonderful discovery – opened ProMusica’s January program, namely the latter two entries of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Four Novelletten, scored for string orchestra with a touch of percussion. The Valse was imbued with melancholy, in a similar vein to Tchaikovsky’s Valse mélancolique heard earlier in the day from the Columbus Symphony. Free-falling solo passages from assistant concertmaster Rebecca Willie added much charm, and the modest percussion neatly complemented the strings. A vigorous foil was to be had in the closing Allegro molto – with music of such quality and allure, I wish there had been time for the complete work!

Spencer Myer, Katherine McLin, and Marc Moskovitz with David Danzmayr and ProMusica, photo credit ProMusica

Beethoven’s Triple Concerto formed the heart of the program – and as a somewhat late program change, a tip of the hat to the soloists for nonetheless putting together a tight and convincing performance. ProMusica’s concertmaster Katherine McLin and principal cello Marc Moskovitz were buttressed by pianist Spencer Myer, and the trio purveyed a warm chemistry, both amongst themselves and with the orchestra at large. The graceful orchestral introduction began in the low strings, and Moskovitz’s lyrical cello introduced the soloists – the cello being the most prominent of the trio (in the informative post-concert conversation, it was suggested that this is effectively Beethoven’s cello concerto in all but name). What followed in the spacious opening movement was genial and untroubled, showing a lighter side of the composer – worlds apart from weighty works that comprise the adjacent opus numbers, namely the Eroica symphony and Appassionata piano sonata. The serene Largo peered inward, given with the intimacy of chamber music, before a seamless transition to the rambunctious Rondo alla Polacca, wherein once again the main theme was guided by the cello.

Mendelssohn’s Scottish symphony closed the program and offered the finest playing of the evening. Matters opened in brooding solemnity, conveying the composer’s awe of his Scottish sojourn. The first movement was shrouded in mystery, encouraged by Danzmayr’s taut dynamic control, and often passionate with some particularly notable playing from the clarinet. As a counter to the weight of the preceding, the scherzo was of folksy charm, quintessentially Mendelssohnian in its sparkling textures. A certain solemnity returned in the following movement, heightened by striking chorale writing, while the vigorous finale was an uncompromising affair until the triumphant closing material, unequivocally arriving in the major.