Red,swollen, Hot Elbow

Π Π Π / VV

- Paris, Theatre de la Cite de la Musique, January 23, 2011

- Webern String Trio , op. 20 (a) - Brahms Clarinet Trio in the minor, op. 114 (b) - Berg, Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano , op. 5 (c) - Brahms, Piano Quintet in his minor, op. 34 (d)

- Paul Meyer, clarinet (b, c)

- Michael Barenboim, violin (a, d)

- Guy Braunstein, violin (d)
- Gerard Causse, viola (a, d)

- Gary Hoffman, cello (a, b, d)

- Elena Bashkirova, piano (b, c, d)

I unfortunately missed the concert on the eve of it, which proposed including reduction Adagio from Kammerkonzert Berg and Brahms's Opus 115: this is a result of positive feedback to me is the execution of these that I unexpectedly entered a recent places available in small amphitheater in the City. And it is indeed a superb Paul Meyer, who produced it. Yet I am not as a lover of this kind of clarinet at the beauty a bit bourgeois, the medium always warm and comfortable, with high and noble always full, which gives the instrument a range in my opinion more unequivocal that it should. But so far, much to control combined with such a sense of listening, we must bow down before a good musician that lit this Sunday afternoon in his class.

In the Brahms trio, first, where the first presentation Meyer struck by his ability to blend seamlessly into the sound of its partners while delivering a line like from inside: more than just a quality of listening, we try here at some engineering integration which seems to seek to relate it up the clarinet and cello in dialogue with a single instrument the piano. This is obviously not the case at all times, but is one of the most fascinating aspects of the performance, which benefits the rest of the piano sound, very readable (despite a mediocre instrument) Elena Bashkirova, whom we can certainly blame a lack of technical sophistication (eg harmonic density in the Adagio). The adagio is usually also my main subject, insofar as I am quickly annoyed by Gary Hoffman's propensity to complicate the line: not that I find his phrasing in bad taste, but rather a desire to sprinkle phrases micro expressive inflections that I can not bear with him, at least when the tempo slows. This is especially pity that its sound is more than respectable - but with what cello ...

The great moment of this concert is clearly the Berg, and not just because the opportunities hear this sublime opus 5 are so rare. Meyer it may be shown, for its ultimate benefit of the weekend, even more invested in Brahms, and frankly absolutely beautiful, so much to raise Bashkirova marvels of delicacy and richness of her piano Brahms had not entirely left to assume - we conclude that later this pianist, also founder of the Jerusalem Film Festival which was exported here seems chamber music very dependent on the level of its partners. The peak of the afternoon is in fact exactly the Sehr langsam, breathtaking beauty and perfection instrumental - the only conclusive descrescendo Meyer, continuity improbable, was worth the trip ... the same way as the trio of the third part. In general, the intensity of the game also seems to gain Meyer sound personality, which may well be blamed on the transition to the clarinet in B flat, it is true: whether or not the case, will in any case could be heard breaking through the veil-Western cliche the beautiful and languid clarinet, pushing through the grace notes of Langsam ff final, earning a clarinet sound quasi-slave.

All this does not really allow to predict the catastrophe which closed the concert, especially since, on Hoffman usual caveats aside, Michael Barenboim and Gerard Causse (I don ' expecting more this good) had made a favorable impression in a relatively String Trio Webern wise enough but clean. It took me time to think and to get used to the idea, but it is the arrival of Guy Braunstein, prestigious concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic came here provide the first violin part, which collapsed the beautiful building now rising chamber. What chore violin! By a curious coincidence, I think I did not hear anything so awful on the violin for a concert Gordan Nikolic, on ... Main the LSO. How do these violinists also capable of being nervous, chopped, brutal, and very often below minimum standards of accuracy, they can drive two of the best string sections in the world? It is a great mystery, which thickens as we find, moreover, Braunstein does not seem to be taking seriously the fact of playing a Brahms quintet - it seems that with the clarinet inspired many more, but I was not there to verify. Nevertheless, and despite considerable efforts clearly its partners to continue at least play fair, the whole execution is completely inaudible, from first to last note, and I weigh my words. If Barenboim Caussé and Hoffman try to make notes in spite of those, bad, parasites, there is one thing they can do is prevent Braustein to go his own head rhythmically. So that we hear almost no attack breathing together in forty minutes - or less, for in addition to a breakneck totally absurd that the case is conducted.

Breathing in these conditions were anyway impossible, so together, just think: at the head of this cacophony of confusing vulgarity, Bashkirova quickly threw in the towel and simply go with the flow more or less approximately, which actually makes sense especially when the movements going in opposite directions - as in the final where Braustein clearly indicated that this was very fun deciphering but he had to fly from 19h.

I hope he was able to fly, because me, I fell very high.

ps: yes, I know, the picture header is ugly, it looks like Jean-Claude Vandamme pitches in an episode of Dallas, but it is the only black and white I found Paul Meyer. Clarinet, your ruthless world.

Theo Belaud

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