Kremerata Baltica offers sophisticated new music with a humorous twist
With more than 40 years before the international public, Gidon Kremer is a familiar name in the world of classical music, and his appearance in Calgary with his own group, the Kremerata Baltica drew a sizable audience to the Jack Singer Concert Hall Thursday to hear an unusual program of modern compositions.
In his salad days, Kremer was known for his brilliant technique, faultless execution and zippy performances. Now 70 years old, Kremer has reinvented himself as the thinking-person’s violinist: a performer who explores, re-thinks, is not afraid of new challenges. No same-old, same-old for him.
The only thing that stayed the same at this concert was the technical and musical execution, which appears undiminished with the passage of time. Even in today’s world, with many fine young violinists before the public, Kremer remains a model of technical polish, perfect tuning, and exquisite refinement.
Never forcing the tone, Kremer coaxed the most beautiful sounds from his instrument, and the spirit of poise and beauty is also part of the persona of the Kremerata Baltica, the group of (mostly) string players that he formed 20 years ago and that he currently leads. The program consisted of four modern works, on the Desyatnikov arrangement of Piazzolla’s Four Seasons familiar to audiences here.
The opening work was the Orpheus Suite by Philip Glass, a 1991 chamber opera on a libretto by Jean Cocteau, and also a famous early film with music by Georges Auric. The music performed appears to have been a string transcription of the fourmovement suite from the opera made by Paul Barnes. The boulevard temperament of the music, especially in the first movement, harkening back to the world of 1920s Paris, gave a good indication of the temper of the first half, which was all minimalist in character.
Here and in the following Chiaroscuro, a transcription of a 2011 string quartet by Georgian composer Giya Kancheli, there were long stretches of very slow music, played with haunting intensity and focus — the world of music in which the sound itself is the true focus, perhaps more than the ideas themselves. It is a tribute to Kremer’s playing (and the Kremerata) that such music could hold the attention and could transport one into a “special place” emotionally.
Musical reflections on the seasons come in various forms, including the most famous one by Vivaldi. But there is a “Seasons” by Tchaikovsky too, a piano piece, recently recorded by Pavel Kolnesnikov, the lastbut-one Honens Competition winner. Playing by itself, with a major solo for the first violin, the Kremerata Baltica performed The Seasons Digest by Alexander Raskatov, a reworked musical digest of Tchaikovsky’s work.
But this was not just a musical sugar-lolli: the orchestra provided much satirical comment around the edges, with a part for prepared piano, minitrumpet, and penny whistle, with a substantial amount of free improvisation for the performers. It all makes for a humorous experience, leavened with sweetness from the original music, a sense of irony and fun present at all times. Despite the irreverence of the situation, the playing was squeaky clean, the ensemble showing a remarkable talent for being together and expressive.
The final work was Astor Piazolla’s familiar Quatro Porteno in a version for solo violin and strings by Leonid Desyatnikov. This version includes not only the original Piazzolla material, but interpolates music by Vivaldi and Pachelbel. It is a clever arrangement and works well for the ensemble, which clearly enjoyed the pointed rhythms and tango style.
The were two encores, including a witty arrangement of Happy Birthday, played on this occasion because Feb. 9 was the opening concert of the ensemble 20 years ago. With a distinguished leader and tradition, the Kremerata Baltica offered a program of new music with rare sophistication in its performance and much to think about and enjoy.