BY JOSEPH ASQUITH, LEAD WRITER (EDUCATION)
Benedetti Elschenbroich Grynyuk Trio
Musica Viva
Harold Lobb Hall, Newcastle, 17 November
Nicola Benedetti (violin), Leonard Elschenbroich (cello) and Alexei Grynyuk (piano) are all deservedly A-list celebrities when it comes to the performance of art music.
They have made their debut Australian tour as a trio with Musica Viva, performing a rousing program of works by Richard Strauss, Gordon Kerry, and Johannes Brahms. I went in to see their Newcastle concert at the Harold Lobb Hall this month.
Starting this program was Strauss’ Cello Sonata in F major, Op. 6 (1883). Elschenbroich and Grynyuk instantly cast the audience into total rapture in the first movement Allegro con brio, fixing the audience’s attention with a powerful stroke of the bow and a majestic promenade of piano chords, reverberating a rich resonance across the concert hall. The second movement, Andante ma non troppo, was played with an extraordinary sensitive melodic shape, with each phrase conveying wisps of emotion which wove together to exude a masterfully cathartic performance. Finishing this work was the third movement Finale: Allegro vivo, which livened the piece with spritely, joyous rhythms, virtuosity, and a strong resolution of rhythmic and harmonic dialogue between the two players.
Next on the program was Violin Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 18 (1887-88), also by Strauss. Starting with the first movement Allegro ma non troppo, Benedetti and Grynyuk interlocked instantly in a deep musical dialogue, bringing this piece to life with a stately introductory passage on piano, and the violin part answering this passage with melodic development. Both performers impressed with awing virtuosity, a seamless attention to detail, and shifting between jovial light-heartedness, melancholic pensive, and captivating drama. The second movement, Improvisation: Andante cantabile, was sublime in its lyricism and hypnotic mellifluousness, played with all the delicacy of a berceuse. The third movement Finale: Andante, with its rich double stops, electrifying virtuosity, undulation of arpeggios in the violin part and strong, buttressing piano accompaniment with dazzling runs, brought this piece to a strong resolution at the coda.
To commence the second half was Kerry’s 2000 piano trio Im Winde (In the Wind), with Benedetti, Elschenbroich, and Grynyuk performing together. Based on a poem by German romantic figure Friedrich Hölderlin, the textures and tone colours in this performance depicted icy soundscapes, a ghostly coldness, lively instrumental curlicues, and ethereal harmonic effects which ended on a bittersweet coda. This was a beautifully poignant and charismatic performance.
To finish the program was Piano Trio No. 2 in C major, Op. 87 (1800) by Brahms. The first movement, Allegro moderato, was played with all the gusto and exhilaration for which the chamber music of Brahms is reputed, transitioning uncannily between moments of contemplation to grandeur. The second movement, Andante con moto, comprised a theme-and-variations structure. It’s potent melancholy, tenderly layered harmonies and anticipation of resolution, as finely executed by the performers, made for a stirring performance. The third movement, Scherzo: Presto, started modestly in dynamic, gradually building to a forte early in the movement, then transitioning to a middle section of climax and dynamic passion. The final movement, Finale Allegro giocoso, had a wavering ebb-and-flow of dynamic power, moments of intensity, delicate pianissimo passages, and moments of explosive spectacles of dissonance and resolution, making for a stellar performance.
Benedetti, Elschenbroich, and Grynyuk, along with being world-class performers, are all passionate music educators. As a part of their Musica Viva tour in Australia, the trio have been visiting some lucky schools in Australia wherein they performed for the students and ran instrumental workshops – a fitting gesture with Musica Viva’s close involvement with the ABC three-part documentary series Don’t Stop the Music. Indeed, the trio’s prowess as performers, as well as educators, have been most welcome in Australia and their next visit is highly anticipated.
Image supplied. Credit: Keith Saunders.
