Professor takes the lead in a violin-heavy evening
On Wednesday night students and faculty gathered for a night of classical music. Piano, harpsichord and conducting professor Lucinda Carver gave a free recital alongside four guest artists. The show featured the works of Brahms and Schubert, as well as the Schumann Piano Quintet. It was an excellent show that appealed not just to classical fans but also to those whose taste might not stray beyond Top 40 hits.
Sound of strings · Cecilia Tsan played the cello as part of the five-piece concert, joining the other musicians in multi-part classical string-focused songs, including Brahms’ “Violin Sonata Number 3.” - Nathaniel Gonzalez | Daily Trojan
With virtuosity and expression, Carver and colleagues Aimee Kreston (violin), Richard O’Neill (viola), Sarah Thornblade (violin) and Cecilia Tsan (cello) produced an entertaining night of music.
With a distinguished résumé including performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and National Symphony, Carver is an accomplished performer and teacher. Her recital Wednesday night reflected her skills as a pianist through accompaniment and collaboration.
The first piece performed, Franz Schubert’s “Arpeggione” Sonata, showcased violent O’Neill and Carver as an accompanist. Recipient of an Avery Fisher Award and Grammy nomination, O’Neill executed the three-movement sonata with precision and virtuosity.
Throughout the first movement, Carver and O’Neill interacted with impressive meticulousness. O’Neill, who performed the piece from memory, portrayed a playfulness that meshed with the character of the upbeat movement.
The second and third movements were played with the same expertise. Carver’s skills as accompanist and solo pianist were obvious: Her talented interpretation and sensitivity to the dynamic variations in the viola’s melody added to the excitement of the piece. Both performers seemed to really be enjoying themselves — their expressive body language entertained the audience.
Following Schubert’s Sonata, Kreston on violin performed with Carver on Johannes Brahms’ “Violin Sonata No. 3.” Kreston, the former concertmaster for the Los Angeles Mozart Orchestra, a teacher and an internationally acclaimed soloist, performed a brilliant rendition of this Sonata, made only better when paired with Carver’s impeccable accompaniment.
The first movement began with a graceful line in both piano and violin. Its slow, relaxed beginning led to a buildup in intensity between the two instruments.
Carver not only followed Kreston impeccably but was also highlighted in the second movement, which began with a solo piano line, with a dark, intense sound escalating with the entrance of the violin melody. Each beat aligned perfectly between piano and violin, and this aspect of the performance was carried throughout the third movement.
After a short intermission, Carver, O’Neill, Kreston, Thornblade and Tsan took the stage to perform Robert Schumann’s “Piano Quintet.”
This was the highlight of the evening; with enthusiasm and variation, the five players stood out individually as they worked together. This quintet held the attention of all audience members throughout, prompting a standing ovation at the end. The second half of the concert flew by as the five players dramatically interacted with one another.
The piece also showcased Carver more than in any other of the night. Although the first movement began with the five instruments in unison, the exciting, fast-paced third movement, Scherzo, was carried by Carver’s technical ability, dramatic dynamics and body language.
Following the standing ovation, the group (excluding Thornblade) performed an encore piece, the Andante movement from the Brahms piano quartet in C minor. This piece ended the concert on a relaxing note; it was easy on the ears and just the right length for an encore. The smooth voicing and soulful playing pleased the crowd.
Although it was a little disappointing to not hear Carver perform a solo piece, she was absolutely the highlighted performer of the evening.
Correction: The print version of this story misidentified Lucinda Carver in the deck of the story. This online version has been corrected to reflect the change. The Daily Trojan regrets the error.
Well, Vivien, I understand where you are coming from, but Mr. Eulert is within the right to be as put off as he is by this review. Music, like science, mathematics, engineering, and architecture (to name a few) is a discipline. With it being such, it is important that the author indicates an appropriate knowledge of how to talk about music intelligently, within the appropriate context, for the target audience. Now considering that this review is in the ‘Daily Trojan’, it is quite likely that Ms. Gresko was not intending to make this entry of a calibur to be featured in a leading music journal, so I am not put off by her approach to use a more vernacular voice. However, the fact that Ms. Gresko called all and any pieces “songs”, used “perform on a piece” (instead of “perform a piece”), and even mentioned ‘Top 40 hits’ indicates that she, at best, went too far in trying to cater to a mostly musically un-educated/trained collegiate audience or, at worst, was rediculously sloppy and careless in preparing her piece. Had this review found its way into a published music journal of merit, comments like those of Mr. Eulert would seem lukewarm, perhaps even supportive in comparison to the scathing criticism she would deservedly receive from her music journalism colleagues and musicians themselves.
All in all, this is just a learning experience for a freshman music/journalism student who needs and will learn very much in her time here at USC. Also, I think Eulert’s comments extend from a paranoia within the music community regarding the growth of ignorance and apathy towards all or many forms of ‘classical/art-music’; its practices, history, definitions, traditions etc. etc. Given the overall, general decline of music education and exposure of ‘c/a music’, that we are witness to such a review only displays the effects of such holes in our curriculum, and to many musicians it is forboding as a chilling picture of music’s potential future.
Add that the review was written by a music student at a top-flight music school, and you can see how unhealthy the state of music may seem.
But as I said: I think and hope that this is just a roadbump and could be a formative learning experience if Ms. Gresko wishes to further her skills as a music-journalist.
I am disheartened by the negativity of these comments. The author of this article was clearly impressed and inspired by this recital, and while there may have been a few errors in her writing, the thoughts expressed above further divide the classical and mainstream audiences. We are still indulging and expressing an elitist attitude that defines classical music in the US. Why can’t we just appreciate music for what it is….pure expression and joy for all and not get caught up in divisive symantics?
Oh, and it’s Dr. Carver…
I am probably going to sound like a snobby classical musician, but this article is probably the worst review of a classical music concert I have ever read. Full of incorrect details and nonsense, it sure was very popular today within the music buildings, sadly not for the quality of its content. For your information, Shelley Gresko, a song is a piece of music that features the human voice. You can refer to non vocal music as works or pieces. Not songs. I know we have a popular music degree now at USC, but music is not only songs or tunes. And these events are called concerts, not shows. Also, a pianist who performs with other instruments, or singers, is still called a pianist. Collaborative pianist is more appropriate. To my knowledge, there is no instrument called the accompano, we play the piano. Finally, we don’t perform on a piece, but we simply perform a piece. Oh, and also there is no Brahms “Violin Sonata Number 3”, if you look at the program, I’m pretty sure it’s written correctly: Sonata for Violin and Piano in G Major, Op. 78. Plus, that sonata is the first one of the set. So no Number 3 at all.
By commenting that the concert was appealing “also to those whose taste might not stray beyond Top 40 hits”, you are clearly pointing at yourself, and maybe in the future you should stick to reviewing that music style.
It was Brahms Violin Sonata No. 1, not No. 3.
Also, I don’t think O’Neill was particularly “violent”, as you say. Perhaps you meant “violist” and your computed auto-corrected it.
Additionally, you should not refer to Dr. Carver as an “accompanist.” Pianist, collaborator, musical partner… any of these are fine. But she is not an “accompanist.”
Lastly, classical instrumental works are not referred to as “songs,” as it says in the picture caption. They are “pieces.”