M.U.S.i.C. Brunch/Recital @ Intercontinental Hotel 12/06/09

Romance was definitely in the air this weekend. At least, musically speaking, it was. Following the Cleveland Orchestra’s romantic concerts was a Brunch/Recital presented by MusicalUpcomingStarsintheClassics, or for our purposes, MUSiC. Noted local fiber artist Jodi Kanter is the brains and the oomph behind this idea of presenting young musicians (this time from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music) in concert following the brunch served by Table/45 in the InterContinental Hotel Cleveland on the Cleveland Clinic campus.

An enticing array of salad ingredients, several steaming chafing trays, and a lavish display of breakfast breads, (or dinner rolls) and desserts, awaited concert-goers on this crisp, cold December afternoon. Because of increased demand, the recital itself was moved from the smaller room at the west end of the hotel (used in previous years) to the formal ballroom at the east end. The acoustics were just as good, perhaps better, and a special treat was the historic 1911 Steinway B piano, owned by the Cleveland Clinic Arts and Medicine Institute and loaned to MUSiC for the occasion.

Starting off in spirited fashion were Yejin Lee and Chien-Lin Lu, with piano four-hands versions of the Marches Militaires D.733 of Franz Schubert. The first of these in D major, should be familiar to anyone who’s ever studied piano for more than a month! Two more followed – in G major and E-flat major, of only slightly less familiarity, perhaps. Most likely, Schubert wrote these for home entertainment, which certainly presupposes rather talented guests! The two pianists were well-matched and paid particular attention to all the wishes of the composer.

Ms. Lee then performed more Schubert, but this time in a transcription by Franz Liszt: Auf dem Wasser zu singen, Gretchen am Spinnrade (or Gretchen at the spinning wheel.)

Mezzo-soprano Julia Dawson, assisted by Mr. Lu at the piano gave us three songs of ‘longing’ by Schubert, Die junge Nonne (about a young nun in a storm), Fischerweise (a Fisherman ), and Der Jüngling an der Quelle (youth at the spring). An aria by Antonio Vivaldi followed: Agitata da due venti (agitation from two directions!) which also dealt with mistaken identity and other operatic adventures.

To close out the first half of the program, violinist Lisha Gu and Mr. Lu presented the last two movements of the Violin Sonata in A major by Cesar Franck. Ms. Gu’s violin has a large, warm sound, ideally suited to this lush, emotional work. The two musicians were definitely on the same page in this engaging performance, highlighted by the two of them playing musical tag with each other in the final Allegretto.

After intermission, it was more Schubert; the final two movements of his String Quintet in C major, D.956, one of the few such configurations in the repertoire, utilizing two cellos. This provides a surprisingly robust sound, rather than having the lower-voiced cello subservient to the upper-ranged violins and viola. However, this group also played remarkably soft in the hushed portions. They executed these very difficult passages with little apparent difficulty. The musicians featured here were: Alison Lint and McKenzie Bauer, violins; Kallie Ciechomski, viola and cellists Avery Waite and David Ellis.

Information about upcoming events may be obtained by phone at 216.378.1887, by sending an e-mail to: starsATintheclassics.org or visiting the website: http://www.StarsInTheClassics.org

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz, who writes: My most recently published book is Ardenwycke Unveiled (e-book and trade paper). Cerridwen has another contemporary romance from me, But Not For Love, currently available only as an e-book, but perhaps will be in print next year. I hope to soon get around to completing some of the 30+ incomplete books in my computer!

By the way, Cerridwen has also accepted two of my short stories in their Scintillating Samples (complimentary reads) area: Song of the Swan and Unexpected Comfort. I love photography as well, as you can see here. Occasionally I teach writing workshops and sometimes do editing or ghostwriting on a free-lance basis. But over and above everything else, there's always been the writing. I can't imagine my life without it.