THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 23, 1995 TAG: 9511220103
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Music review
SOURCE: BY PAUL SAYEGH, SPECIAL TO THE DAILY BREAK
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
THE NORFOLK CHAMBER Consort helped celebrate two musical birthdays Monday at ODU's Chandler Recital Hall: Frenchman Gabriel Faure's 150th and German composer Paul Hindemith's 100th.
Flutist Debra Wendells Cross and pianist Charles Woodward opened the program with two short Faure pieces. They were given sensitive, elegant readings, although the ``Sicilienne'' could have moved along at a slightly faster tempo.
Woodward was joined by soprano Phyllis Hunter for five of Hindemith's ``Nine English Songs.'' Since the first of these is titled ``On Hearing the Last Rose of Summer,'' Hunter prefaced the set with ``The Last Rose of Summer.''
Hindemith's vocal writing is often grateful, although filtered through dissonant harmonies. The songs speak directly to the listener, an impression reinforced by Hunter's vivid projection of the texts and rich, powerful singing.
A second Hindemith offering, ``Kleine Kammermusik No. 2,'' was given an outstanding performance by Cross, oboist Sherie Lake Aguirre, clarinetist F. Gerard Errante and bassoonist Daniel Matsukawa. They were joined by Rebecca Peppard on French horn, a last-minute substitute for David Wick, who was ill.
It is easy to see why the Nazis would have found Hindemith's music offensive and ``degenerate.'' This short chamber concerto is full of invention, vitality and humor. There are moments, too, where one can hear the influences of jazz and blues in its harmonies. The piece contradicts Hindemith's posthumous reputation as a composer of dry, ``academic'' music.
The concert concluded with a performance of Mendelssohn's Trio in D Minor by violinist Debra Fong, cellist Christopher Costanza and pianist Christopher Kypros. The work was given a big, direct interpretation that made the most of its dramatic contrasts and huge crescendos.
The waves of sound threatened at times to overwhelm Fong's sweet tone, but she asserted herself with her bigger-toned partners through her sensitive phrasing. Costanza's rich cello was an asset in providing a dark sound to the piece, while Kypros handled all the hurdles that Mendelssohn placed in the pianist's way with flair and security.
Throughout the concert, the performances were enhanced by the clear and full acoustics of Chandler Recital Hall. The audience could often feel that it was eavesdropping on a group of friends who had gotten together for an evening of music. by CNB