REVIEW: Virtuoso Winds at CMS
Above photo by Cherylynn Tsushima.
November 17, 2024
Alice Tully Hall was filled to the brim on Sunday for Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Virtuoso Winds, a jigsaw puzzle with six pieces. Six musicians combined in various duos, a trio, and eventually in a thrilling sextet, illuminating the simple joy, and powerful possibilities, of making music together.
Clarinetist David Shifrin, who has a long history with CMS, and Marc Goldberg, principal bassoonist of Orchestra of St. Luke’s, began the evening with a charming two movement duet attributed (somewhat dubiously) to Beethoven. Duo No. 3 in B-flat Major for Clarinet and Basson, WoO 27, if indeed Beethoven, is not the Beethoven of the “Kreutzer,” or “Appassionata” Sonatas. Yet his distinct mastery of form is evident: the first movement, Allegro sostenuto, has a middle section turns its gaze to an unexpected minor key, in an elevated moment of introspection; the second movement, a theme and variations, builds satisfyingly in cleverly constructed patterns.
Photo by Cherylynn Tsushima.
Shifrin’s caramel-like timbre and nimbly articulated rhythm paired endearingly with Goldberg’s warm, witty lyricism on the bassoon. They returned with a contrasting take on the combination, the Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon written in 1922 (revised in ‘45) by Francis Poulenc. Shifrin and Goldberg made this acerbic piece sound easy, expertly navigating its athletic, herky-jerky Allegro first movement, the harmonically obscure “Romance,” and the balletic finale, making the two woodwind instruments sound like an full orchestra.
Cleansing the palette between those very different flavors, Radek Baborák, one of Europe’s top horn soloists,, and the wonderful pianist Anne-Marie McDermott transformed the mood with a quartet of miniatures by Reinhold Glière, the Russian composer whose name doesn’t sound Russian. Four Pieces for Horn and Piano, from Op. 35, didn’t feel Russian, either. Baborák’s horn playing was revelatory — expressive and agile, with an especially tasty, judiciously applied vibrato. McDermott accompanied gracefully, with a special knack for making thick piano writing sound breezy, and in service to the melody.
Photo by Cherylynn Tsushima.
McDermott remained a crucial presence for the remainder of the evening — collaborating tightly with flutist Adam Walker, principal flute of the London Symphony Orchestra, to communicate the dramatic logic of Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů's 1945 Sonata for Flute and Piano. Walker’s stellar virtuosity on the flute extends not only to his snappy fingers, but to the his versatile color palette. Martinů's three movements give the players an overflowing abundance of material — harmonically pleasing, if a little meandering. But the duo harnessed Martinů's impromptu, speech-like phrasing and idiomatic filigree to whip up a feast.
James Austin Smith joined Goldberg and McDermott as oboist in the romantic Trio in A Minor for Oboe, Horn, and Piano, Op. 188 by Carl Reinecke, a veritable symphony for three, and finally, the puzzle’s solution came into view, as all six instrumentalists convened for a superb reading of Poulenc’s Sextet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, and Piano.
Poulenc’s adventurous chamber work from the 1930’s has been getting a lot of play lately — but I doubt so ravishingly as here. Walker’s lithe flute, Smith’s coy oboe, Shifrin’s soothing clarinet, Baborák’s eloquent horn, and Goldberg’s sturdy bassoon danced to Poulenc’s kaleidoscopic choreography, swooping in and out of the spotlight with clarity and balance of dynamics. McDermott, at the keyboard, served as jack-of-all-trades; conductor, continuo player, lead melodist, backup singer. The coda, Subito très lent, was the final chorus capping an act of a Mozart opera — a benediction.
Photo by Cherylynn Tsushima.
