Chamber
BRASS OVER BRIDGES AT SPRING LAKE SERIES
by Terry McNeill
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Symphony
CALLEJA AND SANIKIDZE CHARGE THE ATMOSPHERE IN WEILL WITH SUMMER FAVORITES
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Symphony
ENERGETIC SINGING IN CALLEJA/SANIKIDZE WEILL RECITAL
by Mark Kratz
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Chamber
MUSICAL CALM IN A WORLD OF POLITICAL IDIOTS
by Terry McNeill
Friday, August 2, 2024
Chamber
SUNBEAMS ON THE FESTIVAL DEL SOLE FROM THE FAR NORTH
by Terry McNeill
Thursday, August 1, 2024
Chamber
A FAURE TO REMEMBER
by Terry McNeill
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Chamber
DYNAMIC MENDELSSOHN AND SUBTLE BRAHMS AT FINAL PIANOSONOMA CONCERT
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Other
SONIC JUXTAPOSITION AT MENDO FESTIVAL'S ORCHESTRAL CONCERT
by Terry McNeill
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Recital
SCHUMANN FANTASIE AT SCHWARTZ'S MEMDOCINO FESTIVAL
by Terry McNeill
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Chamber
GUITAR UPSTAGES PIANO AT BRAZILIAN VOM CONCERT
by Terry McNeill
Sunday, July 21, 2024
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![](/userfiles/Terry McNeill_20240710111601am.png) Pianist Adonis Gonzalez |
TENTH SEASON VOM FESTIVAL OPENER AT THE HANNA CENTER
by Terry McNeill
Thursday, July 11, 2024
Valley of the Moon’s ebullient Music Festival launched its tenth season July 11 at Sonoma’s Hanna Center, a last minute opening concert relocation from the Valley’s Bartholomew Park location due to the 100 degree weather.
Air conditioning was indeed needed for a select group of kindly doners and supporters of the Festival that often features quirky repertoire performed on conventional instruments in unconventional guises – gut strings, fortepianos, copious transcriptions. Things got going with a lavish pre-concert buffet (tasty empanadas) and Festival announcements by Board President Cindi King and artistic directors Tanya Tomkins and Eric Zivian.
Cuban American pianist Adonis Gonzalez was the featured performer in the 30 minute program, and through eight short pieces his interpretative mood was continually aggressive and frequently overloud. Hanna’s Hall has a flat tile floor and wide spread of seats, leading to minimal reverberation and often roaring sonority from the house piano’s bright top end. Well, the program’s music of Villa-Lobos, Teresa Carreño, Ravel and Lecuona seemed to demand the determined pounding Mr. Gonzalez gave it.
Highlights in the playing were Carreño’s Un Bal en rêve and four contrasting Lecuona works that closed the program: Ante el Escorial, Mazurka in Glissando, La Comparsa and Gitanerías. Here the pianist seemed to relax and gave the piquant pieces shape and a modicum of tone color, throttling back the volume and pace..
Two surprise and welcome program additions came at the end, both for violin – a lovely Carreño Romance and José White’s Zamacueca. Juliet Greer paired with Eric Zivian in the charming Romance, and Mr. Gonzales returned with violinist Jennifer Frautschi in the four-minute Latin flavored dance, the repetitive phrases in the piano line alternating with the svelte and swaying fascination of White’s innocuous piece.
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