Deseret Morning News, Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Autumn Classic is captivating

Radiant, dynamic musicians display artistry to the fullest

By Edward Reichel
Deseret Morning News

AUTUMN CLASSICS MUSIC FESTIVAL, Park City Community Church, through Oct. 8 (943-0169)

PARK CITY — The first weekend of the Autumn Classics Music Festival saw the return of cellist Jeffrey Solow to Park City. A charter member of the fall festival's sister event, the Park City and Salt Lake City Music Festival, Solow hasn't performed at the mountain resort in several years, and last weekend marked his debut at the fall series.

Solow is a remarkably eloquent cellist whose playing is equally expressive and dynamic. Technically astute and musically sound, Solow acquits himself wonderfully in both the romantic and classical repertoire.

That was made thoroughly evident at Sunday's concert, in which Solow appeared in works by Haydn, Brahms and Rachmaninoff.

He displayed his artistry to the fullest in Brahms' Cello Sonata No. 2 in F major, op. 99. Solow gave a compelling reading that captured the drama, passion and sheer intensity of expression in the work. Partnered by pianist Gail Niwa, who matched his energetic playing, the two gave a dynamic account that wasn't heavy or forced.

All too frequently, performers fall into the trap of underscoring the thick textures in Brahms' music at the expense of clarity. But that fortunately wasn't the case with Solow and Niwa. Theirs was a well-thought-out and insightful reading that brought out the wonderful interplay between the two instruments succinctly, while keeping the dynamic expressions intact. They imbued their playing with romantic fervor and broad gestures that emphasized the large scope of the sonata without diminishing the rugged lyricism.

Solow and Niwa's collaboration in the Brahms was a match made in heaven. And the sizable audience Sunday in the Park City Community Church were treated to their radiant musicianship once more in the final work of the evening, Rachmaninoff's Trio "Elegiac" in D minor, op. 9.

The two were joined for the Rachmaninoff by violinist Charles Castleman, who along with Niwa, is a longtime member of the Park City artists roster.

Even though the trio is an early work, it has some telltale signs of the composer's mature style in its harmonic and melodic language, in its expansiveness and in its romantic outpourings, which in this case, aren't overflowing with cloying sentimentality.

As one would expect with Rachmaninoff, one of the early 20th century's piano virtuosos, the trio has an uncompromisingly demanding piano part. But Niwa being the consummate musician she is, she made short work of her it, dazzling the audience with her lustrous playing.

Solow and Castleman were Niwa's equals here. While the violin and cello frequently seem to be treated as accompanying instruments, the two weren't cowered by the piano. In fact, they rose to the challenge, and the three gave a seamlessly flowing, cogent, cohesive and utterly shimmering account of this rather neglected work.

Castleman and Solow, joined by Utah Symphony violinist Dara Morales and violist Leslie Harlow, opened the concert with an exquisite reading of Haydn's String Quartet in G major, op. 76, no. 3, "Emperor."

E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com

© 2006 Deseret News Publishing Company