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By Melinda Bargreen, Music Critic
Seattle Times, Seattle, Washington
Friday, November 08, 2002
The Russian connection is in full swing at the Seattle Chamber Players,
thanks to the venturesome programming of flutist Paul Taub and the rest of
his excellent quartet (clarinetist Laura DeLuca, cellist David Sabee and
violinist Mikhail Shmidt).
The group, now in its 13th season, will introduce concertgoers to Ukrainian
composer Valentin Silvestrov - unfortunately not in person, as previously
planned, because of visa problems.
The music will be there, however, including a span of pieces from the 1960s
to the present: Trio (for flute, trumpet and celeste), Postlude (solo
violin), Mysterium (alto flute and six percussionists), String Quartet of
1974 and Mysterioso (for clarinet and piano - one player). It will not be
much of a "mysterioso" to fans of the Seattle Chamber Players that
clarinetist DeLuca has enough talent to tackle two instruments at once.
Silvestrov's music is not easy to define, but a recent and rapturous New
York Times review of one of his recordings ("Leggiero, Pesante," on the ECM
label) cited "its formidable expressive weight (and) the gaps in its
substance: the places where it feels insufficient, just too exquisite, or
totally swamped by the Romantic ghosts it summons, the memories of Bruckner
and Rachmaninoff."
The Silvestrov evening will include several guest artists, including
violinist Ami Campbell, violist Heather Bentley, trumpeter Russell Campbell,
percussionists Matthew Kocmieroski and pianist Rachel Matthews.
The concert, at 8 tonight, takes place in the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital
Hall at Benaroya Hall (206-286-5052 or www.seattlechamberplayers.org).
Staier's 'Fandango'
German harpsichordist Andreas Staier offers a program called "Fandango" that
has nothing to do with ordering movie tickets: Instead, it refers to a
graceful and often erotic dance form that reached its height in the 18th
century.
Staier, known as a virtuoso on both harpsichord and fortepiano, will make
his West Coast debut here on the former instrument, in an 8 p.m. recital
Sunday in Town Hall for the Early Music Guild's International Series.
The German-born keyboard artist has made several medal-winning recordings
with Concerto Köln, including the concertos of Mozart, Salieri, Steffan,
Mendelssohn and John Field - as well as solo discs devoted to Spanish
fandangos, Bach transcriptions and works of William Byrd.
There's a free 7 p.m. talk beforehand by Margret Gries. For tickets to the
recital, call 206-325-7066.
The opera plot thickens
Don't even try to make sense of the plot of Cimarosa's late-18th-century
opera "Il Matrimonio Segreto" (The Secret Marriage), which has Character A
plotting to get Character B to marry A's oldest daughter, while Character B
prefers Character C, who is already secretly married to Character D, who is
loved by Character E - you get the picture. Humorous and lighthearted, this
opera will be unveiled in three performances at the UW Opera, with Peter
Erös conducting and staging by Claudia Zahn.
Opening night is Wednesday (7:30 p.m.), followed by two more performances
Nov. 15 (7:30 p.m.) and 17 (3 p.m.). The cast includes Woong-cheol Park,
Keith Harris, Rachelle McClelland, Alicia Gianni, Imelda Franklin and guest
artist Steve Tachell. For tickets, call 206-543-4880.
The Seattle Times, Seattle, Washington
Melinda Bargreen: mbargreen@seattletimes.com.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/134571466_conc08.html
For personal and academic purposes only
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