Concert Review—

Final Program Of 2005-06 NFoM Season Was Deliciously Memorable

By June S. April

Exiting Edmond Town Hall last Sunday, one of the subscribers to the Newtown Friends of Music flashed me a smile and called, “What a glorious season.” Returning the smile, my immediate response was, “Yes, but some concerts were more glorious than others.”

That retort prompted a thought: why was this, the final concert of the season so noteworthy? Early Monday morning a rather strange analogy flew into my mind: it related to Amish furniture — spare, yet elegant, with outstanding craftsmanship which has weathered the test of time.

The Biava Quartet — the group that performed the final program of 2005-06 concerts sponsored by Newtown Friends of Music — was formed in 1998 at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Admittedly, the quartet has yet to reckon with the travails and challenges of the competitive music world, but this reviewer anticipates that one day this group of talented musicians will be acknowledged as one of the outstanding chamber groups in the vast arena of musical ensembles.

The vitality of their playing, the dearth of excess motion (which can serve as a detraction to the music if one is watching as well as listening), the perfect sweetly rounded tones (even at the highest pitches) added immeasurably to the lovely program.

Opening with Franz Joseph Haydn’s beautiful String Quartet in G minor, Opus 74, No. 3, the audience was immediately connecting to the music. In part, this was the unavoidable response to the underlying pulsating music, which was rather like the  hammering of horses hooves. It is obvious why this compositions subtitled nickname is “ The Rider.”

Rather than Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major, which had been previously announced for Sunday’s program, the quartet elected to substitute Claude Debussy’s String Quartet in G minor, Opus 10. The choice was an interesting one because with each of these Impressionistic composers, these pieces were their first explorations into the realm of chamber music, and (as it turned out) their only compositions for string quartets.

Evocative in nature, this work is passionate and melodic. The interaction between violinists Austin Hartman and Hyunso Ku, violist Mary Persin and cellist Jacob Braun was wonderfully subtle, yet clearly emotionally strong. The eye and body signals were barely obvious, yet their performance proved the powerful strength of skill and understanding.    Joining the Biava Quartet for the second half of the program was clarinetist par excellence, Pavel Vinnitsky  All these young people are in the music program at Yale University. Sunday’s concluding work was the richly melodic Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Opus 115 by Johannes Brahms. The haunting instrumental passages still linger as this review is being written. Personally loving the enfolding depths of music in the minor keys, this piece largely embraces a range of emotions.

In previous interviews, members of the quartet have said the perception of their string quartet. It’s a unity of separate voices: first violinist Austin Hartman brings energy and a sweeping perspective about repertoire.

(Interestingly, Mr Hartman performs on a violin created by Paulo Castello of Genoa, Italy, in 1774, it was not categorized as one of the “greats” in the violin world. Yet in Mr Hartman’s sensitive hands, the tones are quite beautiful. One can only wonder how his performing with a Stradivarius or Amati might move audiences to even greater feelings of ecstasy.)

Hyunsu Ko, the second violinist, serves as the maternal binder of the group, bringing caring and support to the Biava’s members and making the travel arrangements.

Violist Mary Persin acts as the liaison person, fielding contacts and doing the groups public relations. With his skill for attention to detail, cellist Jacob Braun is the librarian and the “foundation” of the quartet.

They select their repertoire by coming together with suggestions of what they would like to play. Discussion yields balanced and interesting programs since the members relish performing music from all musical periods. It is also interesting to note that they chose to name their group after the conductor-in-residence of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Maestro Luis Biava. Theirs is a mutual determination to inspire audiences of all ages and backgrounds by sharing the spirit and love of music.

The Biava String Quartet is based at Yale University and assists the world famous Tokyo String Quartet.