Festival finds fresh spark in new venue
Music@Menlo:
Pianist Glenn Gould once claimed that the purpose of technology was “to give the appearance of life,” hinting that the recording medium would one day render live concerts obsolete. If the COVID19 pandemic has taught us anything, musically speaking, it is that Gould was dead wrong.
The opening program of Music@Menlo on Friday, July 16, marked the festival’s first inperson concert in nearly 24 months. From the first note on the piano, it was clear that online concerts, Zoom meetings and the appearance of life just aren’t good enough — that live
concerts are, collectively, about as likely to leave us as restaurants are.
The program of music by Brahms and Schubert, together with a brief world premiere by composer Patrick Castillo, landed with a surge of energy that felt all the weightier for coming after such long silence.
This season — the festival’s 19th year of chamber music, scheduled to run for three consecutive weekends — also finds Music@Menlo in its new home, the Spieker Center for the Arts at the Menlo School in Atherton. The building’s sleek, modern
exterior belies the warm sound of the hall itself, an intimate space that comfortably seats 384; every sonic detail is projected with precision and clarity. As Rachmaninoff once said, “If the money is good, the acoustics are good.” (Each program will also be repeated outdoors on the school campus.)
Music@Menlo’s theme this year is “Gather,” which is also the title of Castillo’s duo for cello and piano. Running a mere two minutes, the piece begins with a mysterious murmur. The harmonic language lands somewhere between Stravinsky and Messiaen before the middle section arrives at straightforward tonality with a quote from the popular hymn “Shall We Gather by the River.”
In the premiere performance, cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han — the festival’s cofounders and artistic directors — rendered dark hues to create an atmosphere reminiscent of early Berg, evoking uncertainty couched in somber beauty.
Among the more dependable parts of Music@Menlo is its ability to gather toplevel musical soloists into a chamber setting. The roster in the past decade alone has included such luminaries as mezzosoprano Sasha Cooke, soprano Joélle Harvey and pianist Gilles Vonsattel.
Friday’s effervescent performance of Brahms’ “FAE” Scherzo by violinist Kristin Lee and pianist Ji Na Kim revealed that central scouting is strong as ever. Lee, a showstopper on the fiddle, delivered with sustained, expressive power and technique to burn. Kim’s sensitivity and grace peaked through a cascade of beautifully balanced Brahms chords, which kept the duo rhythmically in check throughout the brief offering.
Through much of the concert, the notion of delayed gratification — the enhanced pleasure of hearing live music again after so long — appeared to benefit performers and listeners alike. The evening’s main offering was Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet in A major, D. 667, in a performance that revealed the exquisite musicianship of all the performers. Violist Matthew Lipman’s singing tone dazzled next to bassist Scott Pingel, who offered variety and beauty of touch.
But it was violinist Arnaud Sussmann who reminded me of what we’ve missed. Some may play louder or faster, but Sussmann’s artistry went beyond matters of mere mechanics. The subtle misses, the slight imperfections contrasted with clear, dynamic gradations, the expressive, tonal shifts — it was all there, executed simply and communicated convincingly. This was Schubert filled with all the grace, joy and tenderness that I had forgotten about in a year.
Gould’s remark about recording was made in conversation with the violinist Yehudi Menuhin, whose response was succinct: “But are you satisfied with the appearance of life?” Friday’s vibrant live concert was a reminder of how much was left out of Gould’s equation.