The Catskill Chronicle

Review by Barry Plaxen

SHANDELEE, NY (August 20, 2014) – It was August 19, 2014 at the Shandelee Music Festival and it was all that a concert could possibly be. It lacked nothing.

First we were treated to a rarely played gem, Shostakovich’s “Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8.” The title is actually a misnomer in the sense of the phrase “piano trio,” which generally means a work in multiple movements with varying tempos and, hopefully, a muster of melodies, like his Piano Trio No. 2. The work we heard has one movement with varying subjects, and could righty be titled “Adagio in C minor for Piano Trio.”

Originally entitled "Poème," it has a dual personality offering highly lyrical romantic melodies vying back and forth with the angular and stark staccato-like melodies we have come to expect from his genius. I reveled in the dual sparring and got a sense of “thank you” to the romantic composers, “but I am going give you a harbinger of what is to come from me.” I do not know why the title was changed, but history says a few other composers actually completed the work – with three different endings. The “thank you-harbinger” sense I got came only as an afterthought as I was too mesmerized in his manipulations to think of anything. I did get a sense of past-future as I was listening, I suppose, but not as thought.

The second work is a repertory staple, also an early work, Brahms’ “Piano Trio No. 1 in B Major, Op. 8.” We heard a version which had he revised later in life. It is quite un-Brahmsian, youthfully vibrant, happy and sometimes exuberant, but never once does it not contain Brahms’ genius for thick sounds, lush harmonies and, that ever-important item, structure – and agitated rhythms always building in intensity.

The third work on the program is a most unique piano trio, Rachmaninoff’s “Trio No. 2 in d minor “Elégiaque,” Op.9, another early work by another genius. It is unique to me in that there is no other piano trio to my knowledge that has the piano take such vehement precedence over the violin and cello, with the two strings often accompanying the piano instead of the usual other way around. When you hear (and see) the vehemence that I witnessed, you know immediately who the composer is, as it is quite like one of his piano concertos – percussive like his # 3, not like his very-pretty #2 – played by piano with 2 strings accompanying instead of an orchestra. (As I write and check out the liner notes, I see that it has actually been orchestrated as a concerto. It cries out for it.)

These three masterful works, perhaps all masterpieces, are more than enough to make an evening of music morph into a magical memory. More than enough. Much more.

But, oh my, it did not stop there.

I had heard cellist Sergey Antonov and pianist Ilya Kazantsev perform duets in Montgomery last year. But the memory of that outstanding concert did not prepare me for what transpired last night. Joined by violinist Misha Keylin, the three world-class artists took the three masterworks and with power, passion, consummate skill, dynamism, devotion, excitement, fervor, and ecstasy – with warmth and outbursts, fire and frenzy, intensity and joy – immersed us into their beings as they gave importance and credence to every single note and allowed us to witness how to make greater music out of great music – with every note being the most important note of the evening.

It’s all in the phrasing, of course. And it was superb. You could not ask for anything more. Cellist Antonov is remarkable. Often (not always-as he does smile) with Buster Keaton unmoving facial muscles and little body movement he somehow is able to manifest, solely with fingers and bow, nuances and subtle shadings that no one else, on any instrument, could possibly do more of. Given his 15 minutes of chance, pianist Kazantsev shone so brilliantly in the Rachmaninoff work, with much body movement and strength, vigor and power, making the percussive sounds reverberate throughout the room and throughout our bodies. Keylin seemed to be the cement that held it all together – and it WAS all-together. As much as they all shone individually, they were, and are, a great ensemble, with the interplay and sharing of energy that is inherent in greatness. You will hear more of the Hermitage Piano Trio in years to come.

We heard more of them, too. In another humor. Figuratively and literally, as they performed their encore “Let’s Play an Opera by Rossini” by Rodion Shchedrin from his “Three Funny Pieces.” FUN!

Thanks to the powers that be at Shandelee for bringing the Hermitage Piano Trio to the mountain for the outstanding concert. Memorable on all accounts.

The last concert of Shandelee’s 21^st season will take place at Bethel Woods on September 7 at 3:00 p.m. with Lana Trotovsek, violin, and Anna Shelest, piano, performing two masterpieces by Beethoven and Cesar Franck and music by Gershwin and Arvo Pärt. For tickets: www.shandelee.org or 845-439-3277.