Trio Navarro Jan. 26 in Schroeder Hall

CELLO AND CLARINET HIGHLIGHT TRIO NAVARRO'S CONCERT

Pierné’s Op. 19 Canzonetta for clarinet and piano, opened the Trio Navarro’s winter concert Jan. 26 in Schroeder Hall before an audience of 75.

Played by guest artist Roy Zajac and Trio founder Marilyn Thompson, the Canzonetta unfolded as a charming waltz, in singing cantabile, with an occasional bit of technical flash.

Pierné finished his one cello sonata in 1922. A single-movement piece, the work has a powerful singing line full of flashing colors, roughly alternating between slow and fast sections, with moments of passionate intensity. It offers plenty of technical challenge for both players. The style of writing comes from the late French Romantic period, reminiscent of Fauré but bearing Pierné’s colorful personal sound. It seemed to travel through many moods, with sweet and understated playing by Jill Rachuy Brindel and the always-elegant piano line of Ms. Thompson. The cello pizzicato playing and melodic line came easily through the dense piano writing.

Tucson based composer Robert Muczynski composed his Fantasy Trio in 1971, and he called this trio “…one of my big chamber pieces.” Playing in the opening movement started with sharply focused intensity and energetic bitonal interplay, with the second sounding quite dark and meditative, beginning with a beautiful cello line and ending with an unexpected stop that left many at the edges of our seats. Music in the third was a change of mood, constantly bright and happy sounding, leading to the opening bars of the fourth – deep, dark, foreboding. A sort of joyous dance was launched, with time signatures alternating between six and seven beats per measure, always dancing. The Navarro played admirably, capturing the finale’s tricky rhythms.

Lili Boulanger wrote Nocturne for violin and piano in 1911, and it was later arranged for clarinet and piano by Graham Bastable. It is written with floating, rocking accompaniment like a song for soprano and piano. A sweet, charming melody, played with deep sensitivity and dynamic control by Mr. Zajac, and seemed over too soon.

The Brahms Op. 114 Clarinet Trio concluded the concert, and the 1891 work demands the kind of technical agility from the cello that comes easily for the clarinet. Overall, it’s a highly emotional work and demanding for all involved. The cello and clarinet sounds are widely different, but the writing here makes it sound like a match made in heaven.

The first movement was played in a dark and serious vein and starting out with the cello’s broadly Romantic opening theme, to be joined by the clarinet in a beautiful duo. The Allegro features long, elegant melodies and unexpected modulations, ironed out smoothly by virtuoso playing. The elegiac second is calm and happy, with deft and lovely interplay of voices. Playing in the Andantino’s cheery waltz lightened the mood, switching to strong rhythms in the finale.

The Navarro, with guests soloists or the newest member violinist Tammie Dyer, continues playing at a level that makes them Northern California’s best trio in residence.