Monday, July 11, 2011

In the Works Review, July 8

by CMNW guest blogger Chien Tan

Listening last Friday to Debussy's Sonata for Flute Viola and Harp performed by CMNW Protégé artists Sooyun Kim, flute, Andy Lin, viola, and Bridget Kibbey, harp, it is hard to believe that they just rehearsed together for the first time the night before. I was observing them in their master class on July 8 (“In the Works”) with CMNW veteran violist Hsin-Yun Huang, who gave them thoughtful insights into the Debussy. She spoke of the need for absolute connection of lines merging into each other in the first movement, and that it be more ethereal but also not entirely calm.

This is an emotive group. Sooyun Kim sways her flute to and fro, eyeing Andy Lin as she passes her musical line to his. Lin takes over melody, giving a dark velvety sound. Kibbey is poised expressively, plucking her harp with gestures not unlike a ballerina.

Huang interrupts for a moment. She tells Lin, “Try to be less expressive at the beginning - less vibrato, like the flute.”

Debussy was a trailblazer who did not conform to the harmonic expression of his time, and furthermore, he was the first to compose for the odd combination of viola, harp and flute. Yet it is a an effective one, as each line has a distinct color.

The music changes rather abruptly to a dance. Then it shifts again to something quite animated.

Huang comments, “Look at the music - it's crazy” as she points out to the audience that Debussy wrote a succession of bars full of a tempo contrasts, faster in one bar and slower the next. She talked about subtle dynamics and how such attention to details makes the piece come alive. “What instrumentalists thrive on is making a difference between piano and pianissimo.”

Now forty-five minutes have gone into coaching the first movement and yet it is a thrill to hear the trio take in new ideas and weave it together. And there was still the second and final movement to come. The music is like an exotic perfume wafting through the air that you want to wrap yourself in.

“That was so beautiful! Goosebumps!” Huang exclaimed. Indeed it was.

The next In the Works is Friday, July 15, 11am-1pm at Sherman Clay Moe's Pianos, featuring the Wanmu Percussion. Works by Crumb and Kirchner featured. David Shifrin, CMNW coach.