PARK CITY MUSIC FESTIVAL, Park City Community Church (Highway 224 and Silver Springs RoadRd.), Sunday, July 11, 8 p.m. One performance only.
The Park City Music Festival attracts some of the best musicians from around the country. And it also typically presents its audience with some unusual, or in any case seldom-performed, chamber works.Sunday's concert was no exception. Clarinetist Russell Harlow joined violinist Oleh Krysa and pianist Tatiana Tchekina in a memorable performance of Aram Khatschaturian's Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano. An early work (it dates from 1932, when Katschaturian was 29), it's unlike any of his mature compositions. There are, however, some elements here that point in the direction of his later ballets.
The first two movements of his trio are very much alike, yet also different. Both are very expressive. The second movement sounds like a fast version of the first, although there are some rapid scales and arpeggios thrown in that disrupt the peaceful flow of the music.
The last movement opens with a lengthy solo for clarinet that returns again later in the piano. The music in the main part of this movement is lively, rhythmic and vivacious.
The concert began with violinist Timothy Baker joining Tchekina for an incomparable performance of Grieg's Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, op. 45. These two artists were quite simply superb. They gave a powerful performance that was exciting and full of life.
The first movement of the sonata presents some strongly contrasting musical material -- the main theme is dramatic and driven, while the second theme is more lyrical. You can discern Brahms' influence here.
The second movement is built on a lovely, if slightly sentimental, melody. The music here is typically Grieg in its gestures, and in the Norwegian flavor of the music. (Grieg never does stray too far away from his national roots.)
The finale blends in elements from both of the preceding movements. The music is once again intense, but it's also more spirited and lively here than in the first movement.
The highlight of the evening was a brilliant and virtuosic performance of Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, op. 25. Baker was here joined by violist Leslie Harlow, cellist Scott Ballantyne and pianist Gail Niwa. These four artists were absolutely stunning in their interpretation of this work.
The G minor quartet is an extremely intense, heavy, almost ponderous work. There isn't too much musical contrast in the four movements, so it falls on the performers' shoulders to make this music work and come alive. And to that end, these four players succeeded magnificently.
The finale, especially, was exceptional. This is a wild piece of music that gets frenzied as it progresses to the end. The four musicians weren't intimidated by this music -- they played it with an intensity of spirit that was unbelievable.