Local chamber music fans now have another reason to head to the concert hall this season. On Sunday evening, pianist and harpsichordist Byron Schenkman cut the ribbon on a brand-new chamber music series at Benaroya Hall’s Nordstrom Recital Hall. The five-concert Byron Schenkman & Friends series explores music of the Baroque and Classical Eras with programs that combine beloved classics with lesser-known works.
An enthusiastic crowd gathered for Sunday’s performance, which centered around three sparkling piano quartets by Beethoven. Written when the composer was only fourteen, the works showcase Beethoven’s youthful talents while hinting at the musical intensity he would develop in the years to come. The pieces weren’t published until after Beethoven’s death in 1827, putting them outside of the composer’s canon of commonly-performed works. It was a treat to hear all three together on the same program.
Well known in Seattle for his devotion to period instruments and historical performance practices, Schenkman branches out with his new series. This season’s concerts give audiences the opportunity to hear him perform on both harpsichord and modern piano. For Sunday’s program, his choice of a modern Steinway grand shone in Nordstrom Recital Hall’s intimate space, adding both crispness and warmth to Beethoven’s cascading passages.
Schenkman was joined onstage by a trio of string players hailing from ensembles around the country. Violinist Liza Zurlinden, a recent Seattle arrival, performs with San Francisco’s New Century Chamber Orchestra, while violist Jason Fisher is a founding member of A Far Cry, a self-conducted chamber orchestra based in Boston. (A Far Cry visits Seattle in January 2014 as part of the UW World Series). A regular performer with the Seattle Baroque Orchestra and other Pacific Northwest early music ensembles, local cello luminary Nathan Whittaker rounded out the trio.
Together, the four musicians brought a spirited energy to Beethoven’s set of piano quartets. In these youthful pieces, one can hear the teenage Beethoven trying out different harmonies and techniques, paving the way for the adventurous experimentation and emotional drama that characterizes his later work. Of the three quartets, the Quartet in D Major (WoO 36, No. 2) featured the most exciting examples of harmonic complexity and musical contrast, particularly in the first movement. The ensemble gave the frequent melody exchanges between piano and strings the character of a lively conversation, balancing Schenkman’s bright tones with rich layers of string sound.
The third movement showcases some of the products of young Beethoven’s musical tinkering, including a quirky pizzicato section in the strings and an awkward ending that has the piano pounding out a bombastic final note before the strings finish their grand ending. Schenkman and friends brought a light-hearted sense of fun to these moments, accentuating the musical anomalies just enough to point out the unusual features to the audience. The result was a memorable performance full of charm and wit.
The other two Beethoven quartets featured similar fare, though neither can boast the same level of excitement and drama of the Quartet in D Major. After getting off to a slow start in the first piece of the program, Beethoven’s Quartet in C Major (WoO 36, No. 1), the players resolved several issues with intonation and ensemble communication, knocking the third movement out of the park with exciting musical contrasts and a cohesive sense of excitement.
A skilled ensemble player, Schenkman has an excellent ear for balance, sensing effortlessly when to take the lead with the piano and when to hold back and play a supportive role. When matched with Zurlinden, Fisher, and Whittaker, whose string tones complement each other particularly well, the result was a rich piano quartet sound that perfectly blended the four voices. Solo passages were not as consistent, however. A few intonation wobbles crept into Whittaker’s brief solo in the Quartet in E-flat Major (WoO 36, No. 3). Similarly, Zurlinden seemed to hold back at times, her violin tone sounding a little thin against the backdrop of the other three players.
All came together during a delightful performance of Boccherini’s Sonata in B-flat Major for violin, cello, and piano. A contemporary of Haydn and Mozart, the Italian composer and cellist specialized in chamber music, producing hundreds of quintets, quartets, and trios during his lifetime. Schenkman, Zurlinden, and Whittaker brought a sweet character and lush piano trio sound to Boccherini’s Sonata.
A solo piano sonata by Haydn rounded out the program. Schenkman emphasized Papa Haydn’s famous joviality and prankster personality in the composer’s Sonata in D Major, highlighting tempo changes and surprising dissonant chords in a performance that drew both cheers and chuckles from the crowd.
Bumps and wobbles aside, Sunday’s concert offered a unique view on a specific moment in musical history, celebrating Beethoven’s early years with charismatic playing and memorable musical moments. There’s a lot of potential here for Schenkman’s new series to grow and blossom. Judging from the warm response to Sunday’s performance, many in the audience will be back for more in November, when celebrated Baroque violinist Ingrid Matthews joins Schenkman for a program of sonatas by J.S. Bach.
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