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Linton Caps Season with Baroque

Mary Ellyn Hutton
Posted: May 18, 2015 - 3:37:30 PM in reviews_2015

Johann_Sebastian_Bach_1.jpg
Johann Sebastian Bach
Baroque was the flavor for Sunday afternoon’s Linton Music program at First Unitarian Church in Avondale.

On the menu were Georg Philipp Telemann’s Concerto for Viola and Strings in G Major and three works by Johann Sebastian Bach: “A Musical Offering,” Trio Sonata for Flute, Violin and Continuo in C Minor, BWV 1079; Suite No. 1 in G Major for Unaccompanied Cello, BWV 1007, transcribed for double bass; and Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B Minor for Flute and Strings, BWV 1067.

Participating were flutist Randolph Bowman, violinists Jennifer Roig-Francoli and Cheryl Benedict, violists Christian Colberg and Denisse Rodriguez-Rivera, cellist Ilya Finkelshteyn and double bassist Owen Lee.

It was the final program of Linton’s 2014-2015 season. Colberg, principal violist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra led off with Telemann’s Concerto, one of the earliest concertos for viola that is still regularly performed, having been composed ca. 1716-21. He was accompanied by a string quartet -- Roig-Francoli, Benedict, Rodriguez-Rivera and Finkelshteyn – with Lee on bass and Michael Chertock on harpsichord/continuo.

In four movements, alternating slow and fast, it made for a crisp performance and one laden with considerable charm. Colberg projected a burnished tone in the opening Largo, a sprightly effect in the sequence-heavy Allegro and a plaintive feel in the Andante. He combined assertiveness with a ringing tone in the Presto, which brought the work to a warm, congenial conclusion.

Bach’s “Musical Offering” was preceded by a spoken introduction by Chertock, who told the tale of the challenge presented to Bach by the Prussian king and amateur flutist Frederick the Great -- i.e. “take this tricky theme I give you, Herr Bach, and write me a six-part fugue.” Bach did that and more, presenting the King two months later with a whole set of pieces, including what became known as the “Musical Offering,” BWV 1079, a sonata in four movements for flute, violin and continuo in C Minor.

As performed by Linton artists Bowman, Chertock and Roig-Francoli, it made a royal impression: flowing with charm and, of course, invention a la J.S. Bach, who made liberal use of Frederick’s theme in writing it.

Lee took the stage for Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major on the double bass -- a virtuoso performance if ever there was one. From the familiar Prélude to the concluding Gigue (Allegro vivo), he moved over the strings with incredible dexterity, while drawing a full, burnished sound from his instrument. (Bravos to Lee, who thrilled the crowd, making one hope for an encore soon.)

Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067, was a baroque feast for the ears, from the serious Ouverture to the “Badinerie” (“jesting”) finale. The entire company took part and they made a tasty sound in First Unitarian Church’s welcoming acoustics. Flutist Bowman played with a wonderfully caressing tone in the Sarabande. The Menuet was a gracious as could be desired and the “Badinerie” was taken at a fast clip with lots of ornamentation by Bowman.

The concert repeats at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Congregation Beth Adam in Loveland. Tickets are $30 at the door.

Announced at the concert was Linton Music’s program for next season. There will be six Sunday concerts at First Unitarian Church and five Monday “Encore! Linton” concerts at Congregation Beth Adam in Loveland as follows:

Oct. 11 and 12. Two string sextets by Johannes Brahms with Jaime Laredo and Pamela Frank, violins; John Dalley and Nokuthula Ngwenyama, violas; Sharon Robinson and Keith Robinson, cellos

Nov. 8 and 9. Beethoven, Joan Tower and Ernest Chausson with Joseph Kalichstein, piano, Jaime Laredo, violin and the Cavani Quartet.

Jan. 24. Beethoven and Brahms. Anna Polonsky, piano; Jonathan Gunn, clarinet; Elizabeth Freimuth, French horn; Timothy Lees, violin.

March 6. Special program to honor composers lost to the Holocaust. Daniel Hope, Benny Kim and Timothy Lees, violins; Philip Dukes, viola; Eric Kim and Keith Robinson, cellos; Simon Crawford-Phillips, piano.

March 20. Bonus subscriber concert. Jinjoo Cho, violinist.

April 17. Beethoven, Debussy and “Quartet for the End of Time” by Olivier Messiaen.

May 8. Bach, Goldberg Variations. Ida Kavafian, violin; Steven Tenenbom, viola; Peter Wiley, cello.

Subscriptions come in three packages: six Sunday concerts at First Unitarian Church for $150; five Monday concerts (Encore! Linton) at Congregation Beth Adam in Loveland for $125; and five Monday concerts plus the Sunday Jan. 24 concert for $150.

All include the subscriber bonus concert on March 20.

Call (513) 381-6868, or visit www.lintonmusic.org