Concertos - Lots of Them

by

Lyn Bronson

Arthur Andrew & Yuko Tanaka

During the Carmel Bach Festival Thursday Main Concert, Andrew Arthur was one very busy musician. In this concert, not only did he conduct members of the Festival Orchestra in six concertos, but he was also a soloist in two of them —and what an extraordinary soloist he was!

We who are pianists wish harpsichordists would just keep their cotton-picking hands off our Bach “piano concertos.” But then, when someone like Andrew Arthur performs the Bach Keyboard Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052, so fantastically, with such incredible finesse and authority, well, then, sigh, we just have to admit we are beaten. Of course, in our defeat, our refuge will be to slink off and enjoy “the really expressive music” of the 19^th century.

Speaking of “expressive,” Arthur’s approach to the D Minor Concerto demonstrated exceptional clarity in the musical line, clear articulation of complex rhythmic ideas, beautiful handling of ornamentation and embellishment in the slow movement, and virtuoso mastery in the fast moving final movement. When he began the first movement, my first impression was that the tempo was too fast, but within 30 seconds, he absolutely had me convinced there was no other way to perform it, so authoritative was his performance. The cadenzas in the outer movements were especially effective, and the ensemble with the strings was first rate.

Also very impressive was Arthur’s performance of the opening work on the program, Handel’s Concerto Grosso, Op. 3, No. 6, in which his playing was always solid and natural, nicely stylistic and eminently satisfying. During his performance of the Bach Concerto in C Minor for Two Harpsichords and Strings, BWV 1060, with Yuko Tanaka, we again heard stylish playing that was full of satisfying details. Both artists seemed perfectly comfortable in their duo roles and gave us some fine ensemble. The lovely slow movement of this concerto with the keyboards projecting the melodies against the pizzicato strings was magical.

Violinists Cynthia Roberts and Naomi Guy

This was also an important evening for violinist Cynthia Roberts who appeared as soloist in Bach’s Concerto in G Minor, BWV 1056 (also familiar as the Keyboard Concerto in F Minor), and in the Handel’s Concerto Grosso in B-flat Major, Op. 3, No. 1, where she shared the limelight with another fine violinist, Naomi Guy. Hearing the Arioso slow movement from the G Minor Concerto was especially interesting to those who had attended the outdoor concert at the Monterey Plaza last week when soprano Alice Kirwan Murray “swingled” her way through the same movement. They were both excellent performances, but I have to say that the original won hands down in Roberts’ splendid performance.

Roger Cole

One of the most charming performances of the evening was by Roger Cole, playing oboe d’amore in Bach’s Concerto in A Major, BWV 1055. The oboe d’amore is sort of the alto or mezzo-soprano of the oboe family and fell into obscurity by the end of the 18^th century, although interest finally revived in the late 19^th century. Cole's playing in the slow movement was very moving, and his deft navigation through difficult passages in the final movement (he made them sound easy) was impressive indeed. Cole showed us lots of skill and charm in his playing, and the audience loved it.

Throughout this concert Arthur Andrew could be seen seated at the harpsichord conducting the ensemble (when he wasn’t appearing as soloist, that is), and his quiet, modest manner on stage suggests that he is a thorough musician who truly serves the music while not drawing undue attention to himself. Well, actually, that’s not entirely true, for ultimately the fineness and stylistic integrity of each performance itself caused a light to shine brightly on his talent.

 

End