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ENLARGE
Snow, fallen trees and power outages were not enough to deter the audience from InConcert Sierra's Third Sunday concert. Their undaunted courage was more than rewarded.
Cellist Amit Peled and pianist Eli Kalman had returned for their third concert in three years, drawn back by the warmth of the audience.
“It's always special to be back in Grass Valley,” said Peled, who has built a formidable international reputation as performer and teacher.
There was nothing routine about Sunday's program. The opener, Schumann's three Fantasy Pieces, was no warm-up, but burst forth fully-forged and passionate from a furnace of romantic melody, showing off Peled's rich singing tone and Kalman's intensity. The glance of delight that passed between them at the end said much about their partnership.
Less familiar was Ernest Bloch's deeply felt three movement suite “From Jewish Life.”
“It's like three paintings by Chagall,” said Peled in the pre-concert forum. “It feels different every time, depending on the energy of the audience.” Sunday's energy was palpable when Prayer, a cry from the heart of any religion, moved the audience to an audible sigh.
The rarity was Five Pieces on Folk Themes by 20th-century Georgian composer Sulkhan Tsintsadze, a suite of short colorful portrayals of Georgian life. Peled played with the emotions with the resigned pensiveness of Villain's Song, captivated with the playful pizzicato of Tchonguri, induced reverie with the lullaby Sachidao, invigorated with Nana the war dance, and elated with the joyous energy of Dance Tune, a wedding dance fit for any culture. A technical tour-de-force for both players.
And to end: Beethoven's third sonata. Why last, when chronologically it should be first? Peled explained: “It's the biggest in the repertoire. It's a huge piece, almost symphonic, with equal parts for cello and piano, gratifying for the pianist.”
The cello opens in command, but cello and piano alternate control, complementing each other. Peled and Kalman's playing was fiery and bold, holding nothing back, portraying the master at his most powerful. Peled's 1689 Guarneri cello sang with luster.
“I have to be nice to her,” said Peled. “She's an Italian girl.” He woos her largely with his eyes closed, but even when they are open they are still intensely and inwardly focused.
The encore, the slow movement from Chopin's Cello Sonata, calmed the emotions after the energy of the Beethoven. This is the serene and beautiful piece pianist Rubinstein asked cellist Tortelier to play for him a few days before his death. Like Sunday's entire program, music to die for.
After the intermission InConcert President Keith Porter and Artistic Director Ken Hardin awarded Autumn Youth Scholarships to seventh-graders, harpist Delphine Griffith and cellist Joy Castro-Wehr.
Charles Atthill lives in Alta Sierra. “The cello is like a beautiful woman who has not grown older, but younger, with time, more slender, more supple, more graceful.” Pablo Casals.
Cellist Amit Peled and pianist Eli Kalman had returned for their third concert in three years, drawn back by the warmth of the audience.
“It's always special to be back in Grass Valley,” said Peled, who has built a formidable international reputation as performer and teacher.
There was nothing routine about Sunday's program. The opener, Schumann's three Fantasy Pieces, was no warm-up, but burst forth fully-forged and passionate from a furnace of romantic melody, showing off Peled's rich singing tone and Kalman's intensity. The glance of delight that passed between them at the end said much about their partnership.
Less familiar was Ernest Bloch's deeply felt three movement suite “From Jewish Life.”
“It's like three paintings by Chagall,” said Peled in the pre-concert forum. “It feels different every time, depending on the energy of the audience.” Sunday's energy was palpable when Prayer, a cry from the heart of any religion, moved the audience to an audible sigh.
The rarity was Five Pieces on Folk Themes by 20th-century Georgian composer Sulkhan Tsintsadze, a suite of short colorful portrayals of Georgian life. Peled played with the emotions with the resigned pensiveness of Villain's Song, captivated with the playful pizzicato of Tchonguri, induced reverie with the lullaby Sachidao, invigorated with Nana the war dance, and elated with the joyous energy of Dance Tune, a wedding dance fit for any culture. A technical tour-de-force for both players.
And to end: Beethoven's third sonata. Why last, when chronologically it should be first? Peled explained: “It's the biggest in the repertoire. It's a huge piece, almost symphonic, with equal parts for cello and piano, gratifying for the pianist.”
The cello opens in command, but cello and piano alternate control, complementing each other. Peled and Kalman's playing was fiery and bold, holding nothing back, portraying the master at his most powerful. Peled's 1689 Guarneri cello sang with luster.
“I have to be nice to her,” said Peled. “She's an Italian girl.” He woos her largely with his eyes closed, but even when they are open they are still intensely and inwardly focused.
The encore, the slow movement from Chopin's Cello Sonata, calmed the emotions after the energy of the Beethoven. This is the serene and beautiful piece pianist Rubinstein asked cellist Tortelier to play for him a few days before his death. Like Sunday's entire program, music to die for.
After the intermission InConcert President Keith Porter and Artistic Director Ken Hardin awarded Autumn Youth Scholarships to seventh-graders, harpist Delphine Griffith and cellist Joy Castro-Wehr.
Charles Atthill lives in Alta Sierra. “The cello is like a beautiful woman who has not grown older, but younger, with time, more slender, more supple, more graceful.” Pablo Casals.
