Avi Avital & Hanzhi Wang at Alfred Hertz Memorial Concert Hall, October 15, 2023

Cal Performances presents Avi Avital and Hanzhi Wang
Alfred Hertz Memorial Concert Hall
U.C. Berkeley, 101 Cross-Sproul Path, Berkeley, CA 94704 USA
3:00 PM, Sunday, October 15, 2023

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[3:06 PM] {lights down; AA enters and introduces the first work}

1. [3:08 PM] Ernest Bloch (1880–1959): Nigun (Mvt II from Baal Shem, 1923)
   [3:13 PM] {segment ends; AA off}

[3:14 PM] {enter AA & HW; dead air}

1. [3:15 PM] Fritz Kreisler (1875–1962): Praeludium and Allegro “in the Style of Pugnani” (1910)
   [3:20 PM] {segment ends; both off}

[3:21 PM] {enter HW; introduction of the next segment}

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Selections from the Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (1741), (arranged for accordion)

1. [3:22 PM] Aria
2. [3:26 PM] Variation 1
3. [3:27 PM] Variation 7
4. [3:29 PM] Variation 14
5. [3:30 PM] Variation 18
6. [3:32 PM] Variation 29
   [3:33 PM] {segment ends; HW off}

[3:34 PM] {enter AA & HW; AA explains how the remainder of the set will go}

Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971): excerpts from Suite Italienne (1934)

1. [3:36 PM] I: Introduzione (Allegro moderato)
2. [3:38 PM] II: Serenata (Larghetto)
3. [3:41 PM] III: Tarantella (Vivace)
4. [3:43 PM] VI: Minuetto e Finale (Moderato – Molto vivace)
   [3:47 PM] {applause at end of work; very short pause before next piece}

Béla Bartók (1881–1945): Romanian Folk Dances (1915)

1. [3:48 PM] Jocul cu Bâtă
2. [3:49 PM] Brâul
3. [3:49 PM] Pe Loc
4. [3:51 PM] Buciumeana
5. [3:52 PM] Poarga Românească
6. [3:53 PM] Mărunţel
   [3:53 PM] {segment ends}
   [3:54 PM] {set break!}

[4:10 PM] {lights down, AA enters alone}

1. [4:11 PM] J. S. Bach (1685–1750): Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004 (1720) (arranged for mandolin)
   [4:25 PM] {segment ends; AA off}

[4:26 PM] {AA & HW return for the concluding segment}
[4:27 PM] {AA outlines the remaining program}

1. [4:28 PM] Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921): Introduction and [4:30 PM] Rondo Capriccioso (1863)
2. [4:39 PM] Pablo de Sarasate (1844–1908): Romanza Andaluza from Spanish Dances, Op. 22 (1877–1882)
3. [4:43 PM] Manuel de Falla (1876–1946): Danse Espagnole No. 1 from La vida breve (1904–1905)
   [4:47 PM] {segment ends}
   
   Encore
4. [4:49 PM] Armin Kaufmann (1902–1980): Mitoka Dragomirna (Mvt II from Zwei Stücke für Mandoline, (1965))
   [4:51 PM] {applause}
   [4:52 PM] {show ends}

• Avi Avital: mandolin;
• Hanzhi Wang: accordion; others TBD.

This afternoon's show was a curious combination of repertoire: half-Spanish Baroque mish-mash?

Overall, I'm glad I went, and I thought the performances were great, but I'm not sure I'd attend another show with this combo: it just didn't grab me quite enough. My favorite of the afternoon was the selection of Goldbergs performed in the accordion. Hard to go wrong with Bach, right? Second favorite for me was the Stravinsky, especially the Tarentella section. Why not the other Bach bit, you ask? Probably because the violin version is so embedded in my head that hearing it on mandolin just didn't seem right. Like seeing a priest in combat boots, or a cowboy riding a bicycle.

Program Notes or program notes

Lou Fancher posted a promo article with SFCV.

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2023 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2023 event list! ☸ On to the next event!