Mr. Mamriev is currently a resident of Germany, and has been invited to play for that country’s new Chancellor in an upcoming concert. This recital was partly a tune-up for that anticipated gala event. He began with an authoritative performance of Santo Spirito Cavaliere by Franz Liszt. As one might expect, this is a bravura piece (a fantasy on motifs from Wagner’s Rienzi) requiring strict attention on the part of the soloist. Mr. Mamriev played all the cascading octaves crisply, while not neglecting the graceful interludes.
Miss Gourdjia (who studies at CIM with David Cerone) then joined him for the Salut d’Amour of Edward Elgar, a decided musical change of pace with interesting contrasts between the two instruments. She produces a large and sweet sound from her violin when the music requires it, and Mr. Mamriev was an attentive and observant collaborator.
He took a brief rest while Ms. Gourdjia tore into the Tempo de Ciaccona from Solo Sonata by Béla Bartók. This is an unrestrained showpiece for the solo instrument, utilizing all the tricks available to a skilled performer. Ms. Gourdjia clearly loves this piece, and held back nothing, being unafraid of the occasional harsh sounds demanded by the composer, who then generously affords his performer with beautiful lyrical passages as well. The tricky double-stops were as nothing to her, and as noted in another performance, her intonation is impeccable. The piece abounds with folk melodies and harmonics, trills and even a passage of plucked strings in the middle of more trills.
Another duet followed, the familiar Melody of Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky. Displaying their best legato technique, the two musicians played this dreamy love song with elegance and grace.
The Nocturne and Etude by Carl Tausig was not previously known to me, but it should have been. Mr. Mamriev began the Nocturne’s introspective portion in an appropriately reposeful manner, including a section obviously based on Wagner opera themes. The Etude was a march of giddy joy in parts, but all of it was superbly played on the very resonant piano.
You might wonder at three composers having a hand in one piece, but in this instance, it all worked splendidly. Actually, only one wrote it: Felix Mendelssohn wrote the Wedding March as part of the incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. But then two noted pianistic pedagogues added to it: Franz Liszt and Vladimir Horowitz. And it became a thing of startling delights! Lots of notes everywhere, with scales and arpeggios in octaves running up and down the keyboard. Mr. Mamriev treated it all as though it was his best friend.
The final work Bess, You is my Woman Now by George Gershwin was stunningly arranged by Jascha Heifitz as a serious artsong for piano and soloist. However, the intended soloist was not of the vocal variety, but a gifted violinist who could produce a long singing line on his or her instrument. The serious and attentive rendition by Mamriev and Gourdjia clearly established the validity of Gershwin as a major composer of far more than just Broadway ballads. This was a performance of a work on the same level as the Elgar and Tchaikovsky played earlier in the program. It provided a stunning ending to a splendid recital. Although Mamriev and Gourdjia had not previously performed as a duo, they were obviously two musicians with but a common goal—to make beautiful music together. It was a major success.
As for size, the auditorium at Hanna Perkins Center doubled as a gymnasium in its former identity. The brick walls and hardwood floor combined to provide excellent acoustics for a performance of this kind. There was a good-sized crowd in spite of the late afternoon snowfall, and in addition to the splendid music, audience members were additionally treated to a display of fiber art works by members of Cleveland’s Contemporary Cloth Artists. Oh, and did I mention the desserts and coffee or punch that concluded the evening?
We can but hope for more such events at this interesting new venue. If you’re a performer looking for a space, call the Center at (216) 991-4472.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net
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