Chamber Players: Good Things Come in Threes

chamber-players-18-19-season
Chamber Players from the balcony at their Round Hill Community Church performance.

By Linda Phillips

In the presentation “Out of the Salon,” The Chamber Players of the Greenwich Symphony, all first chairs of that orchestra, created a compelling program in which three players at a time (not always the same combination) were featured in each piece. Stemming from the Latin ”omne trium perfectum” the principle of three suggests that things that come in threes are inherently more humorous, satisfying and effective than any other number, which was confirmed at this performance.

Christine Boies, President of the Chamber Players, welcomed guests to the musical party.

Always an intimate concert that features interesting works, often by lesser known composers, the music was introduced by the players in conversations with the audience .Opening with The String Trio, op. 48 by Mieczyshal Weinberg, David Creswell, violist, told the audience that Weinberg, a Russian, often collaborated with Shostakovich, and was considered the third greatest Russian composer after him and Prokofiev.  The trio comprised violinist Susan Hytken Metcalf, violist David Creswell, and cellist Daniel Miller, who opened with a strong theme, underscored by pizzicato in violin and viola.  Hints of atonality and anguish were in the rapid Allegro con molto, which yielded to a quiet song in violin, going on to a mazurka-like dance,  a pizzicato creating chords.. In Andante, a threnody in violin was joined by viola, atonality and emotion melding In counterpoint, the cello confirming the quiet angst. The concluding Moderato assai was a bit dreary, a throbbing viola as the violin and cello conspired in a movement with roots in Russian music, beautifully done by the three artists, who received loud applause.

Romanesque by Reynaldo Hahn, scored for flute, violin and piano was introduced by pianist Andrew Gordon. Hahn, the working in Paris, was handsome and worldly, and drew his friends from a wide circle, befriending Marcel Proust and Sarah Bernhardt, and was greatly interested in the literary scene as well as the theater.He eventually directed the Paris Opera.  Flutist Susan Rotholz addressed the audience about the work itself, a short piece in which piano, viola and flute seemed to be collaborating on Irish folk tunes, David Creswell adding viola harmony and statements.

Composer Gabriel Perne’s Sonata da Camera was a short romp for piano, flute and cello, with an antic, joyous Allegro, leading to a Scherzo with pizzicato cello opening, the flute scampering.  Pianist Gordon showed hand over hand technique, and  the racing, playful ending had us wondering is Ms. Rotholz was a descendant of Pan!? The audience applauded enthusiastically for a charming performance.

The Piano Trio in G Minor by Clara Schumann, a celebrated concert pianist before her marriage to Robert, found the time to write this in a house with 3 young children as she was expecting a 4th, as related by Andrew Gordon. The violin of Susan Metcalf stated the theme in Allegro Moderato, echoed in piano, which was scored beautifully by composer Clara Schumann, going to minor key and ending in a dramatic climax with cello.

In Scherzo, Tempo di Menuetto,, the violin opened in 3/4 time.  Sad but tuneful, in minor key, the sweet melody was established in violin, the cello taking the lead in this excellently interpreted performance.

The Andante was tender, with piano opening, the violin answering.

Much of this piece is in 3/4 time, which suggests dance, with a formality about the sonata structure. The melody moved to cello, with pizzicato plinking in violin. It was soulful, and beautifully played.

The closing Allegretto was yearning, searching, with heart and soulfulness, all captured by the musicians.  As it went to minor key, hearts could not help but swell!. There were grandiose octaves in piano and some counterpoint before an accelerando to the dramatic ending.

All the musicians were brought on stage and received a standing ovation and bravos.

The next performance of the Chamber players  “Unabashed Originals” will be on March 15-16, 2020, celebrating three unique voices and Beethoven’s bicentennial in a concert of music for clarinet, string quartet and piano. For information, go to www.greenwichsymphony.org/chamber-players-greenwich-symphony   

Linda Phillips’ classical music reviews have won four “Best Column of the Year” awards from the Connecticut Press Club, and have been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Criticism. She is the author of the novel, “To The Highest Bidder,” nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in fiction.

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