GENESEO, N.Y.—The Music Department is proud to present the Geneseo Piano Trio’s second concert together, which will take place on April 17 at 3:00 p.m. in Doty Recital Hall.
The new music ensemble consists of lecturers Andrew Bergevin on the violin, James Kirkwood on the cello and Jonathan Gonder on the piano. The trio replaced the acclaimed Tremont String Quartet in the fall, which had been in residence at Geneseo since 1977. The Geneseo Piano Trio has only ever performed together once before, in their debut concert on Nov. 15.
“The two piano trios we are playing on this April concert are very different from what we played on our November concert,” said Bergevin. “For one thing, we are out of the Classical period … and now firmly in the Romantic period with our Mendelssohn C minor trio—and the 20th century—with Fauré's D minor trio.”
The first trio on the Geneseo Piano Trio’s repertoire will be Gabriel Fauré “Piano Trio in D minor, op. 120.” At the time Fauré composed the piece, he was in failing health, rapidly losing his hearing. No one would have guessed, however, judging by his trio.
“There is nothing in either the trio or the subsequent String Quartet that resembles self-pity or even resignation, let alone a consciously valedictory gesture,” said Kirkwood. “In all three movements, this splendid work simply reveals [Fauré’s] characteristic qualities refined to the point of radiant perfection, in both its lyric sections and its more vigorous ones.”
Of the three movements in “Piano Trio in D minor, op. 120,” Kirkwood noted that the final movement has two surprising features that one would not expect of the piece, which will make for a good performance.
“One is the demonstrative energy that has provoked the rare use of the term ‘violence’ in describing music by this composer,” said Kirkwood. “The other is an apparent citation of Canio’s famous aria in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci … as that was an opera for which Fauré expressed unreserved disgust in the strongest terms.”
After Fauré’s trio, the second piece that the Geneseo Piano Trio will perform is Felix Mendelssohn’s “Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, op. 66.” The four movements within Mendelssohn’s piece grow from a slow section with gentle lyric quality to a Scherzo full of speed and technical energy.
“The Mendelssohn C minor trio is a classic German Romantic barnstormer of a piece,” said Bergevin. “With the exception of the song-like, warmly emotional second movement, the other movements teem with angst and energy. Even the second movement has a touch of this quality, after its melodic beginning.”
The finale, Allegro appassionato, could not end the spring concert better with its empathetic and serious tone.
“The race to the finish line is filled with fiery and soaring passages and a fortissimo final cadence worthy of a concerto,” said Kirkwood.
“In the last movement, listen for a quotation from a Lutheran chorale, which emerges in the violin part,” added Bergevin. “The name of the chorale is ‘Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow.’ Mendelssohn, having converted to Lutheran Christianity in his youth, couldn't help but insert some artifact of his faith into the piece.”
Though this concert will not be the Geneseo Piano Trio’s first time performing together, one would not think that this is only their second concert. With trios, the violin, cello and piano are played as equals—which is apparent in Bergevin, Kirkwood and Gonder’s work together, even in such a short period of time.
“Playing with Professors Gonder and Kirkwood in the Geneseo Piano Trio has been a blast this year. They are both wonderful musicians with individual musical voices and preferences, and it's always thought-provoking and fun to make music with them,” said Bergevin. “I am so fortunate to have such talented colleagues and friends by my side.”
Free and open to the public, all are welcome to attend.
Release by College Communications intern Alexandra Ciarcia.
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