Icelandic native and cellist Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir was joined by members of the Parnassus Project last Sunday for a wonderful tour through Icelandic classical music for the final concert of the 2014 Mostly Nordic concert series.
In the intimate hall in the Nordic Heritage Museum, Thorsteinsdóttir performed a dark but lovey set of pieces which were quite personal. Not only were all of the pieces also written by fellow Icelanders, but Thorsteinsdóttir also had a connection to all of the composers. Her first piece, “Solitaire (for solo cello)” was actually written by Hafliði Hallgrimsson, a composer from her hometown. “Solitaire” gave her a chance to illustrate the music with expert phrasing. With plenty of pizzicato sections and a playful approach to the theme of solitaire, the piece was fun to watch and showcased her quick and impressive ability to switch between different tones with deft fingerwork. The work was occasionally dark and brooding, and the next minute Thorsteinsdóttir would part the clouds to reveal a pocket of brightness. She is certainly talented at adjusting color and it was a real joy to watch her perform an intimate piece in such a small space. You certainly don’t get this kind of experience in recordings or in a large hall – it is really a beautiful thing to watch a performer breathe with an instrument, something Sæunn has no doubt carefully honed through her training at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Julliard.
Pianist Brooks Tan joined Thorsteinsdóttir for the second piece, “Pictures on a Panel Wall” by composer Jón Nordal. One lovely perk of chamber music is the closeness that a performer can develop with an audience, and Thorsteinsdóttir took time before each piece to explain a little of its history and what the composer was striving to illustrate. The last section of “Pictures on a Panel Wall” was entitled “All Things with Cream and Sugar,” which reflected the elegant and fancy-free lifestyle of Iceland’s upper crust who were able to afford such luxuries back in the day. The piece was surprisingly modern and the collaboration between the two performers was quite successful.
Finally, Thorsteinsdóttir played a piece entitled “Bow to String” which was actually composed for her by her friend, Daníel Bjarnason. This piece was quite out there for what I had unintentionally assumed would be a less progressive concert given the fact that I was the youngest audience member by a good 40 years. However, the piece was sort of a cross between Hans Zimmer and John Adams, wandering from the sounds of a Hollywood thriller movie soundtrack to minimalist space-age jagged leaps in melodic lines. It was certainly interesting musically – and made even more intriguing by the fact that it was composed for 40 cellists. Sæunn accompanied recorded layers of herself, which was a bit surreal. I can’t say that I really enjoyed the piece, but the concept was certainly daring. I think it might have been more successful for me had the recorded element either been present somehow visually on stage, so the awkward moments when both performer and audience were listening to a recording would be less awkward. On the other hand, something about that inherent discomfort I felt when performer became audience member was interesting – I just wish there was more of a concerted effort to bring this idea fully to my attention.
The second half of the concert featured the Parnassus Project. They’re a group which brings chamber music to casual settings in Seattle, which is a bit edgy in of itself, and they made a nice complement to the first half of the program. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this mix of professionals and students is as good as they come.
Maggie Stapleton and Brooks Tan performed Four Icelandic Folk Songs for Flute and Piano by Arni Bjornsson and they really captured the light and plucky air of these tunes. It was also nice to see two performers who were so attentive to one another, really working together to present something short yet spirited.
The concert concluded with the Piano Quartet in A Major, Op 26 by Brahms. I have to commend this group of chamber musicians for such fine work. Each one of them did an excellent job and I was literally shocked to discover that violinist Sol Im is still in her third year of university. She’s certainly someone to watch. Nonetheless, Brooks Tan, Sonja Myklebust and Clifton Antoine were her equals, right up there with her high level of playing. All in all, I have to highly recommend this Nordic concert series and eagerly await the announcement of the 2015 programming.
Wait, wait, remind me what concert series this is again?, I hear you saying. Entitled “Mostly Nordic,” this 19 year old series is unlike any other series in the Seattle area. It’s a tour de force through the music of Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and the other Scandinavian countries at the Nordic Heritage Museum in Ballard. Artistic Director Lisa Bergman, of 98.1 KING FM, has put together an excellent variety of repertoire that you will almost certainly not hear anywhere else. It’s perfect for both novice and classical music snob alike, because the museum’s atmosphere is casual but the repertoire is perfect for anyone who wants to hear something a little off the beaten track of classical standards. I also think the location and time (Sundays, 4pm) are perfect for those who may not have the time to battle traffic to Benaroya on a weeknight. In my book, this concert series is a relatively undiscovered gem of the Seattle classical music scene: it offers the same caliber of artists as many other venues in town with a welcoming and unassuming environment. This concert is also a cultural bargain – for $27, one gets both a ticket to the concert and to the museum, which is charming in its own right. You can also purchase a $55 ticket which includes the concert, museum access, and a dinner smorgasbord which is fun, festive, and a chance to meet other music aficionados over salmon and roasted potatoes. So give this series a try – you might, like me, discover that you enjoy not only the music of Iceland, but also the pickled herring.
Great writing, Michelle!