Gary McLaughlin 12/1 (Marinka Solman Photo)

RARE SOLO VIOLIN MUSIC AT HEALDSBURG'S 222 GALLERY

North Coast solo violin recitals are exceptionally rare, the last one in memory was Gil Shaham’s traversal of six Bach works in Weill a decade ago. So it was with delight that Gary McLaughlin played sans piano in Healdsburg’s 222 Galley Dec. 1. Mr. McLaughlin has been a Healdsburg impresario for many years, producing the Brave New Music series and is currently the Classical Music Manager for the Gallery. Fifty Five attended and he played from score throughout.

Four parts of Bach’s second Partita in D Minor (BWV 1004) opened following the artist’s lengthy and erudite spoken introduction. The sine qua non of solo Bach, the Chaconne, was omitted. The performance had judicious tempos, almost no vibrato, and quickly disclosed the high ceiling Gallery’s lack of any reverberation. The Partita’s suites of dances sounded at times like a series of exercises, but in Mr. McLaughlin’s hands they were convincing artistic statements, especially in the Sarabanda and Gigue where the bass and middle voices sounded separate and clear.

Two of Telemann’s Fantasies (Nos. 9 and 10) followed, each in three movements. The B minor was first played pensively with many double stops, the vivace and allegro movement fast and included some of the evening’s best playing. In the presto of the D Major Mr. McLaughlin stressed the interesting final phrase and spotlighted in the largo the piquant harmonies.

Two movements of Hindemith’s Op. 31, No. 2 Sonata came next, and the violinist began the music in a bucolic mood that quickly changed as he explored the highest levels of the instrument. Phrasing here was deft with admirable control in soft playing. Laconic playing characterized the concluding Ruhig bewegte Achtel section, again often high on the E string with accurate skips and heavy vibrato.

Three works completed the recital: Augusta Read Thomas’ Incantation (1995); Kreisler’s Op. 6 Recitative and Scherzo; Bacewicz’ Polish Capriccio from 1949. Incantation was played memorably with sonorous emotion in just under six minutes, a program highlight with palpable emotion and intensity. Mr. McLaughlin announced that the composition was a threnody for a friend of the composer. The Kreisler performance demonstrated the soloist’s spiccato bow and often slashing bow technique, the music meandering at a mostly tame tempo.
The schmaltz often found in Kreisler’s music (Schön Rosmarin) was nowhere to be heard.

Fast ascending scale work in the Bacewicz followed a short prelude to the Caprice, ending the recital in a jaunty three-minute section.

In this season’s dearth of any Sonoma County piano or vocal recitals, Mr. McLaughlin’s mounting a formal winter season violin event was a splendid success.