Cal Performances presents a recital by Leila Josefowicz with John Novacek
2015-11-08
Hertz Hall
U.C. Berkeley, Bancroft Way at College Ave, Berkeley, CA
3:00 PM, Sunday, November 8, 2015

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• Falla: Suite Populaire Espanole
• Messiaen: Theme and Variations
• Schumann: Sonata No. 1 in A minor
• Erkki-Sven Tüür: Conversio
• John Adams: Road Movies

[3:00 PM lights down, announcements by Matias Tarnopolsky; long stretch of dead air waiting for the performers to enter]

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946): Suite Populaire Espanole (1914), arr. Kochánski (1925)

1. [3:07 PM] El Paño Moruno: Allegretto vivace
2. [3:09 PM] Nana (Berceuse): Calmo e sostenuto
3. [3:11 PM] Canción: Allegretto
4. [3:12 PM] Polo: Vivo
5. [3:14 PM] Asturiana: Andante tranquillo
6. [3:16 PM] Jota: Allegro vivo
   [work ends 3:20 PM]

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992): Theme and Variations (1932)

1. [3:20 PM] Thème: Modéré
2. [3:21 PM] Variation I: Modéré
3. [3:23 PM] Variation II: Un peu moins modéré
4. [3:24 PM] Variation III: Modéré, avec éclat
5. [3:25 PM] Variation IV: Vif et passionné
6. [3:27 PM] Variation V: Très modéré
   [work ends 3:29 PM]

Robert Schumann (1810-1856): Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano in A minor, Op. 105 (1851)

1. [3:31 PM] Mit leidenschaftlichem Ausdruck
2. [3:39 PM] Allegretto
3. [3:43 PM] Lebhaft
   [set ends 3:48 PM; lots of applause, off after a minute or so]

[4:08 PM lights down]

1. [4:09 PM] Erkki-Sven Tüür (b. 1959): Conversio (1994)
   [work ends 4:19 PM]

John Adams (b. 1947): Road Movies (1995)

1. [4:20 PM] Relaxed Groove
2. [4:25 PM] Meditative
3. [4:31 PM] 40% Swing
   [show ends 4:36 PM; plenty of applause, several door calls, no Encore; all done by 4:39 PM]

• Leila Josefowicz: violin;
• John Novacek: piano.

Today's program was an interesting blend of older works (set one) with the new (set two) – you know, a little this, a little that, and pretty soon we're cooking up a tasty stew!

My favorites were the two set closers, from Schumann and Adams, which isn't meant as a slight against the other three works – they were all pretty good! Reading about the Falla piece provoked me to wonder whether I've heard the original for soprano – answering that will take a bit of research…. And I was really surprised by the Messiaen piece. Although it was shorter than I expected, I found it quite dense, and hard to parse. I only caught one division between the variations, even though I was paying close attention! I definitely need to add that one to my classical listening queue – if only to develop a better sense for the nuances that I missed on this first listen.

Conversio, opening the second half, was interesting, but kind of a one-trick pony effort. I like the initial rush and hustle, but the denouement wasn't quite interesting enough. Ok, but not really exciting. I wouldn't mind having another listen, but I don't think I'll be seeking it out again.

Road Movies was a treat. I'm sure I've heard it before, though I seem to have misplaced recollections of an alternate piece – the program notes say nothing about this being a transcription or reduction, but my recall was of hearing something for a larger force. Memory works in strange ways, doesn't it! My guess at the moment is that I'm conflating this with another work – perhaps something by Riley or Harrison? In any case, today's performance was righteously good. Launching into with that propulsive driving cadence so evocative of the rhythm of the road put me right into a trance. Yay! On the road again!

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2015 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2015 event list! ☸ On to the next event!