BRIGHTMUSIC TURNS IN
"BRIGHT PIANO"
CONCERT AT
ALL SOULS'

By Nancy Condit

Brightmusic plays Beethoven's
Piano Trio No. 1 in E-Flat Major. op. 1, no. 1
Photo c. by Nancy Condit

Joy overpowered everything in the concert presented by Brightmusic chamber music last night at All Souls' Episcopal Church. This was particularly true in the pieces by Beethoven and 20th century composer Reynaldo Hahn. The pieces were played extremely well, and well chosen.

"I liked the stimulation of hearing something new. I enjoyed the interplay of the instruments," said one of the concert goers at All Souls' Episcopal Church in the second of three performances of Brightmusic's "Bright Strings" last night. The last performance will be at 7:30 pm at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral this evening. Tickets are $10 at the door.

The most pleasing surprise of the Brightmusic chamber music concert last night at All Souls' Episcopal Church was the piano. The nine foot concert grand was clear, pianist and artistic co-director Amy I-Lin Cheng's word, pulled its weight with the other instruments. With works by Beethoven, Hahn and Brahms, this was wonderful. Both pianos at All Souls' and St. Paul's are Baldwins, but this writer has never been able to hear the piano at St. Paul's as more than a suggestion.

While the Beethoven Piano Trio No. 1 in E-Flat Major, op. 1, no. 1 was outstanding, the Reynaldo Hahn piece, Piano Quintet in F-Sharp Minor, stood out as the star of the concert. It was appropriately referred to in the program notes as a piece that "prolongs the Belle Epoque, nourished by classicism" [Benoit Duteurtre]. As one of the concert-goers at All Souls' said, "I liked the interplay of the instruments (piano, violin and cello). I liked the stimulation of hearing something new."

Performing exceptionally well were Katrin Stamatis, violin; Royce McLarry, viola. They were ably assisted by Hal Brossman, violin; and Tomasz Zieba, cello.