Concert Review—

The Kavafian-Schub-Shifrin Trio

Left Attendees Wanting More After Oct. 14 Concert

By Julie Stern

They’ve been friends for 25 years, and when three all star virtuosos get together to perform as a concert trio, it becomes a concert treat for everyone lucky enough to be there.

Ani Kavfian on the violin and viola,  Michel Schub on the piano and David Shifrin on a fistful of clarinets in different keys and sizes, were clearly enjoying themselves when they came together for the Newtown Friends of Music this past Sunday to give their interpretation of a quartet of very different musical pieces.

Playing the works in chronological order, the group began with Trio Sonata in G Major, BWV 1039 by J.S. Bach. This was originally written as a sonata for two flutes, and Bach eventually arranged it to be played by a viola da gamba and a harpsichord. Bringing in the clarinet was a wonderful idea. As the Sonata alternated between its slow and fast movements, the contrasting tones of the instruments added to the resonance and harmony that makes baroque music so rich and mellow.

Next came Mozart’s Trio in E flat Major, Opus 498. This was taken from a group of works called the “Kegelstatt.” Mozart composed these specifically for the clarinet, in honor of his friend Anton Stadler, a clarinet virtuoso with whom he liked to play skittles (which are called Kegel in German).

The Kegelstatt included a concerto, a quintet, a string quartet and this trio. It begins with a slow but graceful Andante, which is ornamented by a rapid and dextrous trill, repeating its general theme. Then comes a deep, serious (un-minuet-like) Menuetto. The work ends with a final Rondeaux Allegretto, which picks up the melody from the first movement and balances the viola against the clarinet in a spirited interchange.

The second half of the October 14 program moved to the Romantic period with a set of Marchenerzahlungen (Fairy Tales) by Robert Schumann. He wrote these in two days back in 1853, to be played by the combination of clarinet, viola and piano. Rather than be based on any specific fairy tale characters, these were meant to evoke a mood and stir the imagination of the listener.  The first, second and fourth segments have a simple, child-like rhythm, with sprightly harmonies. The third movement is darker and more thoughtful, suggesting deeper layers of meaning.

The concert ended with Bartok’s “Constrasts.” Commissioned in 1938 by the American clarinetist Benny Goodman, this piece is a set of three “dances” which draw upon the Hungarian folk music that influenced Bartok as a composer.

The first piece, Verbunkos, had its origins in a recruiting dance for the imperial Austro-Hungarian armies. This had some of the discordant and a tonal sound of its Hungarian roots. It was followed by a relaxed and peaceful slow movement (“Piheno”) and ended with a splendid and resounding fast dance (“Sebes”) which had the audience sitting up in their seats and left them wanting more when the concert was over.