perfect counter-example ... I see him in a way as the last survivor of anextinct species. I will certainly play Messiaen in the future.”May 1 marks Kissin’s first solo recital at RTH in 15 years; his mostrecent appearance with the TSO was in May of 2012. It’s a virtuosoprogram beginning with Beethoven’s Sonata No.21 in C major, Op.53“Waldstein” with its glorious third movement, followed by Prokofiev’squietly charming, utterly logical Sonata No. 4 in C minor, Op.29.Then three nocturnes and six mazurkas by Chopin lead into Liszt’sHungarian Rhapsody No. 15 S.244/15 “Rákóczi March,” a quixoticfoot stomper.Kissin’s popularity is immense, his intellectual and musical giftseven more so. He once said that the main purpose of music is “thatit elevates us into the world of the sublime.” The evening should bememorable.Sara Constant: The WholeNote’s social media editor, flutist SaraConstant, headlines a concert titled “Xi” at Array Space April 24featuring an intriguing line-up of mid to late 20th-century music.Stockhausen’s Xi (1987) for solo flute utilizes microtonal glissandithroughout. Denisov’s Sonata for Flute and Piano (1960) has beendescribed as a collage of styles. Chiel Meijering, the composer of I HateMozart (1979) for flute, alto saxophone, harp and violin, says that heconsiders eroticism, sensuality and even obscenity prerequisites fora high-quality performance of his music. In each of Lutosławski’sThree Fragments (1953) the flute takes the melodic lead and theharp supplies a consistent, animated backdrop. Tsuneya Tanabe’sRecollections of the Inland Sea (1995) for flute and marimba wasinspired by the scenic impression the composer had as an adult of abeautiful inland sea, Setonaikai, in the middle of Japan. The music,he says is his effort to “express my interior vision of the sea, spreadingout before me….”Seen and Heard: The elegant Vadim Repin shone in his Russianrepertoire – Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky – in Koerner Hall March 6;The Vienna Piano Trio displayed an exemplary sense of ensembleand an unusually close seating arrangement in their well-receivedrecital March 8 highlighted by Beethoven’s Kakadu Variations andtwo Mendelssohn Andantes (from his Trio Nos.1 and 2; the latterplayed as an encore); Till Fellner brought exceptional musicianship toMozart’s Piano Sonata K282 on March 10. Kudos to Music Toronto’sJennifer Taylor for bringing us Fellner as well as the London-basedElias Quartet March 19. French sisters Sara and Marie Bittloch onviolin and cello set the tone for the quartet’s intimate sound and itsimpeccable sense of ensemble. Equally attentive were second violinistScotsman Donald Grant and Swedish violist Martin Saving. Togetherthe foursome brought heavenly pianissimos and wonderful silencesthat allowed Mozart’s music to breathe in his “Dissonance” QuartetK465 and unrelenting anger and passion to Mendelssohn’s last stringquartet without losing the ruminative lyricism of its slow movement.Quick Picks:April 8 and 9 former TSO music director Jukka-Pekka Sarastereturns to conduct Mahler’s glorious Symphony No.5 and accompanypianist ValentinaLisitsa in Rachmaninoff’sRachel Mercerromantic masterpiece,his ConcertoNo.2. Conductor PeterOundjian, soprano IsabelBayrakdarian, violinistSergey Khachatryan andpianist Serouj Kradjianjoin with the TSOApril 22 for a concertcelebrating Armenianmusic. It includes adouble dose of AramKhachaturian as wellas the world premiereof Mychael Danna’sArarat, a suite Dannaconstructed from hissoundtrack to Atom Egoyan’s film of the same name. May 6 findsOundjian supporting the up-and-coming twentysomething Germanviolinist Augustin Hadelich in Mendelssohn’s justly celebrated ViolinConcerto, a work which will appear on his next CD later this spring.April 8 the co-artistic directors of the Chamber Music Societyof Lincoln Center, cellist David Finckel (ex-Emerson Quartet) andpianist Wu Han, are joined by the versatile violinist Daniel Hope andviolist Paul Neubauer in a compelling program of piano quartets byMahler [Movement in A Minor], Schumann [E-Flat Major Op.47] andBrahms [No.1 in G Minor Op.25] at Koerner Hall. Also at KoernerHall, April 24, take advantage of a rare chance to hear internationalsuperstar Yannick Nézet-Séguin conduct his hometown ensemble,Orchestre Métropolitain in a program of English music: VaughanWilliams’ Symphony No.4; Elgar’s indelible Enigma Variations andhis ever-popular Cello Concerto with 20-year-old cellist StéphaneTétreault as soloist.April 10 the Mercer-Oh Trio play Haydn, Jean Lesage and Smetanaunder the auspices of the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber MusicSociety. Pianist Eric Himy shows off his technical prowess in aprogram of Rachmaninov, Scriabin, Chopin, Albéniz and de FallaApril 25. Still in Waterloo, TSO violinist Arkady Yanivker leads theToronto Serenade String Quartet in music from Latin America April 28while on May 2 it’s Sofya Gulyak of London’s Royal College of MusicJINWON KIMSunday, April 26, 20151.30 - 4.30 pmWALTER HALLFACULTY OF MUSIC80 QUEEN’S PARKWomen’s Musical Club of TorontoCareer Development AwardLive CompetitionHost: Julie Nesrallah, CBC Radio 2Three finalists:Pierre-André Doucet, pianoCharles Richard-Hamelin, pianoStéphane Tétreault, celloPrizes: $20 000, 000, 000Tickets CALL416-923-7052www.wmct.on.ca12 | April 1 - May 7, 2015 thewholenote.com
BO HUANGwho tests the mettle of the Music Room’s pianoin music by Liszt, Coulthard and Mussorgsky.She repeats the program in Toronto May 3under Syrinx’s banner at the Heliconian Hall.April 12 Syrinx presents the Seiler Trio(violinist Mayumi Seiler, cellist Rachel Mercerand pianist Angela Park) playing Beethoven’sbeloved Archduke Trio, Mendelssohn’s TrioNo.2 and Kevin Lau’s Trio.April 13 finds the Associates of the TorontoSymphony saluting the double bass with musicof Rossini, Boccherini and Dvořák. Doublebassist Tim Dawson teams up with violinistsEtsuko Kimura and Angelique Toews. violistChristopher Redfield and cellist Marie Gelinasat Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre.April 16 Music Toronto presents the LafayetteQuartet, an all-female ensemble who haveremained together since their founding in1986, a distinct rarity. Since then they havespent their time entertaining audiences andteaching some of Canada’s finest young string players from their baseat the University of Victoria. Their program includes a middle Haydnquartet (No.28, Op.29, No.6), a late Beethoven (No. 15, Op.132) andJean Coulthard’s String Quartet No.2, “Threnody.” The latter twopieces will be part of their Chamber Music Hamilton concert April 19.Eric Paetkauthe Arts.April 17, group of 27: TSO principal oboist SarahJeffrey brings her warm sound to Mozart’s tunefulOboe Concerto K314; Symphonies by C.P.E. Bach (thewild and beautiful Wq.179) and Haydn (No. 19), alongwith Jocelyn Morlock’s addictive Disquiet complete anintriguing group of 27 program. The group’s founderand music director, the dynamic Eric Paetkau, whomI interviewed in the December/January issue of TheWholeNote, has just been named music director ofthe Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra. The night beforethe concert, April 16, The WholeNote will be hostingan open rehearsal of the group at the Centre for SocialInnovation, 730 Bathurst St., ground floor. Doors openat 7:30pm. Experience g27’s lively playing in a casual,intimate atmosphere.April 25 Karin Kei Nagano, the teenage daughterof conductor Kent Nagano and pianist Mari Kodama(read the glowing review of her recording of all 32Beethoven sonatas elsewhere in this issue), joins hermother for what should be a memorable afternoonof piano music; part of the BravoNiagara! Festival ofPaul Ennis is the managing editor of The WholeNote.125 Years Dedicated Service to MusicSelection, Value and ExpertiseEurope’s Great Pianos –The Measure of Excellence210 Bloor St. West Toronto - www.remenyi.comthewholenote.com April 1 - May 7, 2015 | 13
