New Century Chamber Orchestra
2013-04-04
First Congregational Church
Berkeley, CA
8:00 PM, Thursday, April 4, 2013
[8:02 PM lights down, pause a moment, then musicians take the stage]
1. Allegro
2. Andante
3. Allegretto
[set ends 8:53 PM]
[9:15 PM lights down]
Peter Laki's program notes
Golijov's work was quite the peppy opener, so lively, in fact, that I thought it might have been better placed as the show closer.
By contrast, the succeeding Mozart concerto was light and airy, like a merangue or an angel food cake. Delicious to consider, but hardly substantial enough for sustenance.
Indicative of the change in the piano's role, for the last work on the program, Chausson's Op. 21, the instrument was moved to the back of the stage. Here we heard a work that integrated the piano deftly with the string ensemble, expanded here from a chamber quartet to the significantly larger NCCO. I think the approach worked great at filling out the acoustic of the largish concert space, as well as adding string ensemble depth to better counterbalance the auditory volume of the piano.
And a funny incident: at the end of the Chausson, Nadja finishes with a grand flourish, and the audience begins to applaud tepidly, with only one or two folks standing up. So she gives us a big glare, then waves her bow with the same “all rise” motion she uses with the group, only this time, waving at the audience as if to say “get up off of your keisters and show us some love!” Classic!