Violinist Joshua Bell

ETHEREAL DUO IN WEILL HALL RECITAL

The virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell appeared Feb. 6 in Weill Hall in an unforgettable performance. I would say that he descended from heaven but that wouldn’t begin to completely describe the empyreal beauty that emanated from his Stradivarius instrument, made in 1713. Joined by pianist Peter Dugan, they proved a formidable and ideally matched pair.

The concert was originally intended to be a trio entitled “Voice and the Violin”, featuring soprano (and spouse of Mr. Bell) Larisa Martínez. However, illness forced her to cancel, so Messrs. Bell and Dugan scrambled and reconfigured. The hastily altered and reprinted program insert understandably lacked program notes, for which Mr. Bell apologized. He instead gave setup notes himself from the stage.

The first half opened with Mozart’s gracefully buoyant E Minor Sonata (No. 21), K. 304, followed by Schubert’s sublime Fantasy in C Major, Op. Post. 159, D. 934. It is a rare musical experience that is even close to perfect, when the only complaint is an audience phone jingling rudely (in the Mozart, and gratefully early on) and the assorted coughs and sneezes being only minor disruptions. An otherwise quiescent full house audience sat in rapt attention as the music unfolded, erupting into joyous ovations at the conclusions of each piece.
This was a full program and the music was perfect. To my ears even the acoustics and balance (piano on long stick) were right, and that is not always the case in this venue. Mr. Dugan has this amazing ability to play quietly without sacrificing the piano’s tone color, resonance or emotional Intensity. Likewise the solo violin has an amazing penetrating and poignant tone which Mr. Bell draws out to the last drop. His signature could be this exquisitely delicate touch, one that causes the notes to materialize out of nothing and ride the space, creating a deeply compelling, emotional experience.

Mozart’s sonata was written when he was twenty-two in 1778, during a period of mourning over the death of his mother. It is brief, containing only two movements, and is It bears all the expected Mozart characteristics with a peek at 19th century melody, and served well as a warm-up for what was to come.
Schubert’s 1827 Fantasy, one of his last compositions, was of one the most beautiful things in recent memory, literally transportive. From Mr. Dugan’s impossibly quiet opening tremolos to Mr. Bell’s final passionate flourishes, this was a performance that could not be bettered. The violinist was in his element, revealing through a purity of tone, precise execution and exciting theatrics the consummate mature artist he has become. His luminous sound and gossamer attacks were paired perfectly with Mr. Dugan’s fiery yet controlled fioritura, pianissimi and endless stamina. There were moments of breath-held silence from the audience.
The Fantasy’s third movement builds lovely variations on one of Schubert’s most well-known songs “Sei mir gegrüsst, sei mir geküsst!” (“Be greeted by me, be kissed by me!”), written in 1822. It has been said that the piano part of this Fantasy is the exceptionally difficult and that claim is easily believed. It was an extraordinary tour de force for both musicians, one that drew a thunderous audience response.

Great artistry continued in the second continued with Fauré’s A Major Sonata, Op. 13, from 1876. Since Fauré lived and worked well into the 20th century, his compositions, particularly his songs, often presaged new and novel chords and harmonies that would eventually be known as jazz harmonies. But here there is a harmonically more conservative, solidly romantic sound to the Sonata, reflecting the earlier youthful influences of Berlioz and Chopin. The harmonies are romantic, and the melodies expansive and long, rather than impressionistic; disciplined structure married to free-wheeling virtuosity. This was a comfortable, well lived-in performance. And again there was a huge ovation from the audience.

The program concluded with two thrilling encores: Chopin’s C-Sharp Minor Nocturne (transcribed by violinist Nathan Milstein), and the ever popular 1878 showpiece “Zigeunerweisen” by Spanish violinist extraordinaire and composer Pablo de Sarasate. It was, in short, an explosion of notes, elegance, and grandeur. To quote George Bernard Shaw who wrote of Sarasate that he "left criticism gasping miles behind him", so here is criticism gasping miles behind Messrs. Bell and Dugan.