Mezzo-soprano Kara Dugan

DYNAMIC MENDELSSOHN AND SUBTLE BRAHMS AT FINAL PIANOSONOMA CONCERT

PianoSonoma July 25 concluded its Vino e Vibrato summer festival with a stunning offering of Mendelssohn’s Op. 49 Piano Trio and four selections from Brahms’ 8 Lieder und Gesänge.

The Green Center’s Schroeder Hall was filled to the brim for this finale, including many well-behaved and attentive children and teens, a heartwarming presence. The house piano for this performance, gorgeous as it was, had too-much sound and often covered the ensemble with lid full up.

The program opened with the elegant singing of mezzo-soprano Kara Dugan, as together with the dynamic and sensitive pianist Christine Wu she offered four selections from Brahms’s 1871 short cycle: 8 Lieder und Gesänge (8 Songs and Songs). And that’s really what it means, as Gesang is simply an older pre-baroque word for Lied. But Gesang can also mean “singing”, and Lied can also carry the distinction of meaning “art song”. Whichever you choose, this was a gorgeous, deeply felt performance. Ms. Dugan’s sumptuous voice is richly resonant and clear, her diction and musicianship precise. Technically, her singing is perfectly even, with soaring high notes. Artistically, she is reserved yet magnetic, and her performance simmered with restrained dramatic passion. She chose four of the songs to perform: I, V, VII and VIII.

Unfortunately, no translations were provided, so the audience had little idea of what the songs were about, or who wrote the texts. They were written by the philosopher-poet and Brahms’ contemporary Georg Friedrich Daumer. However singing and playing from these two women was so lovely one could simply enjoy the music and forgive the lack of poetic information. For me that doesn’t completely suffice, but the audience didn’t seem to be bothered by the omission and gave a very enthusiastic, well-deserved ovation.

Following the Brahms songs, pianist Peter Dugan, Doori Na (violin) and cellist Mike Dahlberg and launched into the Mendelssohn, one of the most loved in the repertoire.

Mr. Dugan’s seemingly inexhaustible energy, combined with a dedicated teacher’s heart and musical artistry, is inspiring to observe. As the genially dynamic host of the popular NPR broadcast From the Top, which showcases young aspiring classical musicians from all over the country, he has been normalizing classical music for children and teenagers for years. That geniality and dynamism translates directly into his music making, and he is a convincing pianist. One gets the feeling that he is reaching out for that magic, elusive connection—to his collaborating musicians, and to the audience. And he succeeds.

This Mendelssohn can be difficult, particularly at the selected tempos. In lesser hands (literally!) one could end up with an out-of-control mess, a runaway train with no brakes on a faulty line. But here, no. The opening Molto allegro agitato moved like a well-oiled train on solid tracks, building speed and excitement, ending at such a fevered pitch, the audience broke recital protocol with spontaneous, cheering applause at its conclusion.

The lovely Andante con moto tranquillo is beautifully melodic, a song without words. Here Mr. Na and Mr. Dahlberg revealed their lyrical gifts, spinning out Mendelssohn’s cantabile with depth and palpable communication. Mr. Dugan’s quiet passages were exquisite, stretching the dynamic limits of the piano to a bare whisper.

Continuing with the charmingly bouncy, dancing “Scherzo”, the intensity began to ramp up again and the violinist spun deftly through the ever more demanding fioritura with lightness and incredible agility, with Mr. Dahlberg matching him in dexterity and beauty of tone. There was a wonderful decrescendo at the end of the movement.

By the Finale, all the stops were pulled out to bring this magnificent musical conversation to its conclusion. Mendelssohn labels the final movement Allegro assai appassionato, a musical term too generic for this trio of musicians. Con fuoco it was. At the final chord, smoke wafted from their instruments as they smiled at each other in spent delight. It was as if they had been playing together for decades. There was thunderous approval from an awestruck audience.