GREENSBORO − The Neave Trio were the guest performers at the second concert in the Summer Music from Greensboro series on Tuesday evening, July 22, at the United Church of Christ. Their name derives from a Gaelic word signifying “bright” and “radiant” and they certainly lived up to that description. Founded in 2010, the artists were Anna Williams on violin, Mikhail Veselov on cello and Eri Nakamura on piano. They have played at impressive venues around the world and been artists-in-residence at a number of universities. All superb musicians, they demonstrated consummate coordination and genuine passion that was deeply moving in its level of excellence.
The program consisted of works by Clara Schumann, Dora Pejocevic and Cecile Chaminade, three women composers of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries who broke through the long-standing barriers for females to have careers in classical music. All three were celebrated pianists in their day and toured widely in Europe. Their individual success should give us an inkling of how much we have lost in artistic, intellectual and spiritual development over thousands of years of the suppression of one half of humanity.
Clara Wieck Schumann (1819-1896) was the devoted wife of Robert Schumann (1810-1856) whom she married despite the objections of her father. With her husband’s tragic mental decline in the 1850s, she became the breadwinner for her family through her concertizing, and she developed a close friendship with Johannes Brahms (1835-1897), whom Robert had encouraged from an early age. Her “Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 17,” is among her finest works, written in 1846. Its four movements proceed with intense momentum, starting with the Allegro moderato, which is quintessentially Romantic in its rich emotion and sublime lyricality. The well harmonized melodies are shared among the instruments in interesting relationships. The Scherzo: Tempo di Menuetto featured some wonderful passages that brought out the color of the cello, while the Andante had a slower pace with exquisite feeling. The final Allegretto had a non-stop force with a fine melody imaginatively developed in the complex intertwining for the piano, cello and violin, building up to a well crafted ending.
Dora Pejacevic (1885-1923) was born in Hungary of Croatian descent and studied piano, violin and composition at several different conservatories. Her “Piano Trio in C Major,” written in 1910, had a sweeping flow right from the beginning in the Allegro con moto, with the three instruments conversing in a well explored melody. The Scherzo Allegro had interesting skipping rhythms with a second sparkling theme as it developed. The third section, Lento Allegretto had lovely moments with rolling piano textures and a warm feeling. The Finale, Allegro risoluto was earnest in its onward flow and had dramatic chords that led to a well prepared climax.
Cecile Chaminade (1857-1954) was an acclaimed pianist and composer during her long life, touring widely with regular visits to England. From a very young age she was seen to have great promise by both Georges Bizet and Ambrose Thomas. She went on to write some two hundred works, including songs, chamber pieces, orchestral suites, a symphony, a ballet and an opera, but is best remembered for her piano music, which has been described as having gentility, elegance and charm.
Her “Trio No. 2 in a minor Op. 34” for piano, violin and cello displays her talents to a fine degree, beginning with an Allegro moderato that right off had strong rhythms, soaring up in an engaging melody with a lot of feeling. Jumpy rhythms in the piano contrasted with the flow of the strings making for intense sections that brought forth the total integration of the players. The second movement, Lento, had a stately slower tempo, the theme unfolding like a flower, with a series of featured solos by each of the instruments in turn, giving the theme a complex development. The final Allegro energico lived up to its notation with interesting transitions as the lovely melody evolved. This was a truly passionate performance entirely expressing the emotion of the music and well deserved the spontaneous standing ovation it received.
The next concert will be on August 5, with the Manhattan Chamber Players in a program of two flute quartets by Mozart, a serenade for flute, violin and viola by Beethoven, violin and cello pieces by Gliere and a duo for flute and viola by Devienne.
David K. Rodgers
David K. Rodgers is a writer, mason and card carrying dilettante, who dabbles and babbles in art. He has lived in East Craftsbury for the past 40 years.
