Another Dazzler at Young Artist Series
Ciro Foderé
ONCE AGAIN, Enrique Graf’s Young Artist Series provided not only splendid fare but also superlative performances of two works any artist should approach with a hefty dose of Otis Redding approved R-E-S-P-E-C-T. And maybe also a touch of nervousness. In the Bach Concerto in C minor for Two Keyboards, BWV 1060—here arranged for Piano Duo—one can experience the sun evaporating a last drop of dew from a petal of the fully opened flower of his genius. Sergei Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 2, originally a response to a friend’s suicide, took on a vastly more extreme character with its rewrite after the Russian Revolution. Like I said, heady stuff…
The Tan and See Piano Duo opened our program with the Bach piece, diving right into its contrapuntal complexities at an easy Allegro. Amy and Chee-Hang created a masterful blend with its call and response disguises, while Amy’s luxuriant confidence brought vibrant light to the solo part. Their handling of the Adagio’s clockwork emotions delicately wafted over the packed hall, each resolution leading to a further winding of its spring…lovely! The concluding Allegro, taken at a bit brisker clip than the opening, retained this work’s intimate sense of ease while never making light of its somber themes. Translucent and thoughtful, their reading was a joy to behold.
And now it was time to buckle up our seat-belts, or, well, strap ourselves into an ejection seat for Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 2, one of the most difficult and challenging of works that has become part of the standard repertoire. Luis Hernández, a Carnegie Mellon student of Enrique’s, took the solo seat, with usual suspect Ciro Foderé providing the “orchestra.”
Luis Hernández
The delicate impressionism with which the Andantino began quickly gave way to jagged undulation as we moved through its themes. Throughout, Luis’ exacting precision merged seamlessly with a wild (and I mean WILD!) abandon which crowned Prokofiev’s seeming chaos of ideas with the inevitability of a monarchical judgment. This movement’s formidable cadenza crackled with searing fire, leaving us to wonder if Luis could possibly have anything left. Why rub two sticks together when there’s a flamethrower strapped to your back?
The first movement’s surprising and abrupt end led us to the Scherzo: Vivace, which answered any and all questions with its blinding semiquavers and elegantly chromatic melody. Luis provided a fantastic display of dynamic control over this cascade of notes played at a velocity which by anyone’s measure could only be called blistering. Wow!
Following such a ride, one might expect a break; and in a manner of speaking, the Intermezzo: Allegro moderato provided such. But only in tempo. Its more syncopated rhythms provided the ground for an exploration of the far reaches of harmony. Here, both Luis and Ciro were spot on, drawing wry sarcasm from what would otherwise be a rather creepy march.
Our Finale: Allegro tempestoso careened its kamikaze course from the start, creating a truly tempestoso swirl from which the tick-tock of its intentionally obscure melody rose. It hints at relief, but ultimately serves only to lock in the autopilot. Luis and Ciro then ran us through the entire range of emotions and themes, from the beautifully lyrical (albeit a bit twisted…) to the ferociously violent mad whirl, with an exuberant sureness that brought the entire room to its feet in one of the most deserved standing ovations I’ve ever witnessed.
Absolutely dazzling!
