NOVA CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah, Sunday
Sunday's NOVA Chamber Music Series concert featured the music of Paul Hindemith and Johannes Brahms, two composers who wrote a large volume of chamber music. But unlike Brahms, whose music is a staple in the chamber repertoire, Hindemith's chamber works (as with much of his symphonic music) is largely ignored today.
While it's true that Hindemith has a tendency to be somewhat pedantic and academic, he nevertheless has his place in the pantheon of 20th century composers as one of the foremost German exponents of neoclassicism. And fortunately for Salt Lake audiences, there are musicians here who understand and appreciate Hindemith's significance, and together with like-minded colleagues are interested in and willing to play his music.
NOVA director Corbin Johnston is one such musician. Since taking the artistic helm of the series, Johnston has presented some innovative programs that frequently focus on neglected composers and/or works. Sunday's concert was a wonderful example of Johnston's imaginative programming.
The first half centered on two highly divergent works by Hindemith — the Nine Pieces, op. 44, no. 1, and the Octet for strings and winds.
These works show Hindemith in two quite contrasting perspectives — the simple, though not simplistic, Nine Pieces are just one example of Hindemith's music that he wrote for both nonprofessional and professional musicians.
Utah Symphony concertmaster Ralph Matson and symphony first violinist Barbara Scowcroft played the Nine Pieces. Within the limited range of the music (Hindemith only writes in first position in these pieces), the duo gave a wonderfully dynamic and vibrant reading that imbued them with more expression than one could have imagined possible.
Written more than a quarter-century after the Nine Pieces, the Octet was Hindemith's final chamber work. As much as the Nine Pieces are deliberately simple, the Octet is (seemingly) deliberately difficult and demanding.
Not surprisingly, the first viola has one of the more challenging parts in the work — Hindemith, who was a virtuoso violist, obviously wrote it for himself. (He took part in the premiere in 1958.)
Brant Bayless gave a virtuosic turn on the first viola part, as did his symphony colleagues (Matson, violist Julie Edwards, cellist Meeka Quan-DiLorenzo, bassist Johnston, clarinetist Lee Livengood, bassoonist Lori Wike and hornist David Brockett). The eight captured the large panorama of the work forcefully with broad gestures, sweeping lines and finely shaded lyricism. They played with intense expression, seamless phrasings and wonderfully crafted articulation.
Brahms' String Quintet in F major, op. 88, one of the composer's most lighthearted and infectious chamber pieces, closed out the concert. The string players of the Octet, minus Johnston, gave a sparkling reading of this work, capturing the expressiveness of the music and lightness of its textures wondrously with their nimble playing.
E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com