To begin on an aesthetic note as opposed to a musical one, I would like to show my appreciation for the concert hall that we are lucky enough to have such quick access to here at Queens College. Each time I walk into LeFrak Hall, I notice everything from the beautiful woodgrain of the hall to the masterful, sound architecture that enhances the concerts that take place here. I just wanted to share that this does not go unnoticed any time I’m there.
Now to hit that musical note, there are a couple performances that I want to touch on specifically. The first is the two piano solos by Donald Pirone. Of course the sound and style of his playing was delightful, but I was able to relate most with the fact that he was not reading sheet music for the piece “Three scenes from the heartland” or for “Sonata.” A fellow student asked me once both solos finished how he could possibly memorize a complex piece like that. I responded by assuring him that Mr. Pirone has most likely connected with that music far beyond just a simple memorization technique. I’m sure he doesn’t go up to a fellow pianist and ask, “Aren’t you impressed at how I memorized that one?” Rather, he probably comments on his interpretation and speaks of the movements that he finds most moving.
The other performance that captured my undivided attention was the “Piano Trio in B-flat Major, D 898” by F. Schubert. I found this fascinating to watch because it reminded me of a scene from any play between three actors. It’s not enough to just know your own part of the trio. It was clear that each musician knew each other’s parts and how they all came together. I watched closely when the cellist, Miss Rosen, would close her eyes when she played, but she would open them often to look over at the violinist. When I saw them looking at each other, it seemed as if they were having a conversation through the music, which is essentially what they are doing. The violinist, Mr. Phillips, would sing his violin song, and Miss Rosen would respond back either in quick staccato notes or in long sustained ones. If this were a scene in a play, the violin’s character would be small and squeaky, while the cello would be the large and low-registered friend. In both pieces of art, this creates a lovely and well-designed contrast!
Overall, the concert was most enjoyable, and as always, I look forward to attending more events at LeFrak.
I’d like to address your two very interesting points. First, when a performer plays from memory, it is an indication that he has engaged with the music to such a profound degree that he “own” the piece. Traditionally, it is only when a performer plays completely alone (a solo pianist, a solo violinist, etc.) is the music memorized. (Singers typically also memorize and don’t use music most of the time.) Of course there are always exceptions, but we have come to expect the pianist to memorize, except when he is playing a challenging modern piece (modern music is particularly difficult to memorize because it lacks the patterns of tonal music). It is certainly an impressive feat.
What you noticed in the second performance is one of the charms of chamber music. The players know their own parts very well, and they also know the parts of their partners very well and the interaction between the players is palpable. This is quite different from the way an orchestra usually plays, with a conductor up front keeping everyone “in line.”