Intermezzi performers outstanding
Review
The last of the Intermezzi concerts at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church featured Johann Nepomuk Hummel's four-movement "Septet in D minor."
Hummel, once a household name in Vienna, can be viewed as a bridge between Mozart (his teacher) and later composers like Mendelssohn.
Himself a virtuoso pianist, Hummel's busy piano part was ably played by Lydia Brown.
All the remainder of the players in this concert were members of the Spoleto Festival Orchestra but were unfortunately not named in the program. They were outstanding performers and deserve individual recognition.
In addition to the piano, Hummel's Septet calls for flute, oboe, French horn, viola, cello, and double bass.
Hummel gives each of these instruments a chance to shine, and the flute, viola, and cello were particularly outstanding.
This Septet reminds us why Hummel is no longer a household name.
There are pleasant melodies, facile piano writing, and well-constructed movements, but all-in-all it is rather like Mozart-Lite.
Some of the same players were in the shorter two pieces which opened the program and gave us a chance to investigate the instrumental side of this year's featured opera composers.
Rossini's "Serenade for Small Ensemble" was full of cheerful melodies which would be right at home on the stage of the Gaillard Auditorium
Rossini adds to the standard string quartet a flute, an oboe, and an English horn for his little serenade and dishes up some tasty tunes for each player.
Anthony Davis' "Wayang II" is from a series of compositions inspired by Indonesian shadow puppet theater and its gamelan orchestra.
The sound world of the gamelan is suggested by repeated patterns from the piano, a marimba, and a vibraphone. Against this are heard longer sustained notes from flute, violin, trombone, cello, and double bass, again anonymous players.
A program note from the composer might have aided in the enjoyment of this 9-minute work.
The whole program was chamber music every bit on a par with Wadsworth's crew down the street.
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