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| Noa Wildschutt and Elisabeth Brauss in concert. |
Llewellyn Hall, Canberra. 27th November, 2023. - Reviewed by Bill Stephens
From the very first unison notes of the Schumann "Violin
Sonata No.1 in A Minor", with which Noa Wildschut and Elisabeth Brauss began
their Canberra concert, the audience could sense that this concert would be something
very special. And indeed it was.
Though both are still in their twenties and have achieved
impressive individual accolades, it is
the partnering of Dutch violinist Wildschut and German pianist Brauss that has been hailed as one of the most
exciting musical partnerships heard in years.
The program chosen for their first Australian tour was both
eclectic and challenging, offering an enticing selection of works by Schumann,
Debussy, Enescu and Messiaen, as well as a new work especially composed for the
duo by Australian composer, May Lyon.
Looking relaxed, confident and remarkably youthful as they
took the stage, Wildschutt and Brauss gracefully acknowledged the welcoming
applause before quickly settling at their instruments.
Schumann’s “Violin Sonata No 1 in A minor” commences with a
whisper quiet conversation between the violin and piano. Immediately
achieving a perfect balance in sound between the lush warm tone of Wildschut’s
1750 Guadagnini violin and Brauss’s arresting piano phrasing, the two
immediately captivated as they launched into the Schumann, quickly losing
themselves in the joy of the music.
Apparently oblivious at the inherent technical challenges, each
smiled gently at the other’s response to some unexpected nuance of phrasing or simply
grooved on the pleasure of sharing what they had discovered with a new
audience. It was obvious that they were enjoying making music together.
Messiaen’s “Theme et Variations”, also commences quietly. Then, after a series of asymmetrical phrases
for the violin and fluttering chromatic shifts for the piano, reaches a
dramatic peak, ending so softly that the musicians paused after the last note, appearing
frozen in time. So much so that no one in the audience dared to applaud until
it was clear that both were still breathing. It was a magic moment.
Debussy’s last work, “Sonata for Violin and Piano in G Minor”,
with its more conventional melodies and
harmonies, allowed the duo to demonstrate
their technical virtuosity and mastery of this more conventional repertoire without compromising any of their
ability to surprise and delight with their relaxed, confident showmanship.
After interval, a complete change of style with a premiere
performance of a work specially composed for them by Australian composer,
May Lyons. Introduced by the composer
herself, the work, “Forces of Nature” is a fiercely impressionistic exploration
of the full range of the two instruments to evoke two polar opposites; the
summer melt of ice sheets and an erupting volcano.
Watching and listening to Wildschut and Brauss interprete this work was
a mesmerising experience. Commencing with the solo violin alternating sliding
effects with jagged bowing in an uncanny approximation of melting ice, the
piano quietly enters, firstly with single-note dripping sounds, before building
with discordant chords to the climatic volcanic eruption, remarkably achieved
by the pair with the same confident virtuosity they had displayed throughout.
The final offering was George Enescu’s lush “Sonata in A Major for Violin
and Piano”. Infused with Romanian folk music, with a third movement
replete with swirling rhythms so intense that
violinist Wildschut felt inspired to break into dance in her efforts to express it. This work proved the perfect climax for an outstanding, revelatory concert .
Of course there was a standing ovation, graciously rewarded with a joyous rendition of Paul Schoenfield’s delightful “Tin Pan Alley”.
Image by Tony McDonough
This review also published in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW. www.artsreview.com.au