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s part of the Lincolnshire
International Chamber Music Festival, acclaimed violinist Joo Yeon Sir was
accompanied by the talented pianist Irina Andrievsky for a lunchtime
performance at the Drill Hall, Lincoln. With world-class skill, the duo played
three compilations by various composers.
The first section of the show is
a rendition of Suite in the Old Style, from the lesser known Soviet composer
Alfred Schnittke. The pair ease us into the afternoon with some steady, upbeat
movements. Hardly an offensive start to the show, Sir and Andrievsky closely
reflect the exuberant quality of the music with an unmistakeable sense of
playfulness and an impressive aptitude, which remains throughout the afternoon.
While the music is perfectly
pleasant, and we immediately get the impression that we are watching highly talented
musicians, these movements seem rather tame. We get the sense that Schnittke’s
rather twee pieces don’t fully utilise their ability. Perhaps this is fitting
for a relaxed afternoon, but it isn’t quite enough to rouse our interest completely.
Schnittke’s 1972 Suite in Old
Style was composed in the happier period of the composer’s life, in a cheery,
Baroque style. It is extremely Pastorale, yet the collection seems disjointed –
the suite is after all, a seemingly random compendium of the composer’s film
score movements. We move from some up tempo, joyful refrains, to the melancholier
harmonies, and the musicians handle this contrast well. Regrettably, Sir’s
violin takes a slight backseat in this opening section, which concludes with
the most interesting movements, which – while still subdued – provides us with
a preview of the violinist’s capabilities.
Korean-born Joo Yeon Sir has won
a plethora of accolades throughout her career, including the prestigious Sir
Karl Jenkins Music Award and the BBC/Guardian Young Composer of the Year. She
was the overall Grand Prix Laureate at the Nedyalka Simeonova International
Violin Competition in Bulgaria, when she was just 16.
We move on to a much more
well-known composition, César Franck’s Sonata in A major. Playing a more
consistent piece, Sir is able to effectively showcase her skills. She
mournfully draws her bow across the strings, while the symbiotic relationship
between the performers shines through.
They both seem to feel the
sadness in the music as they play, and a nimble balance is formed, giving the
impression that the composition has a personal resonance with them. In contrast
to the opening section, these movements provide a much more concise theme, and
the songlike melodies allow for a stronger dialogue to be established between
them.
The concluding segment – the Spanish
Folksong Suite, originally arranged by Polish composer Paul Kochanski, further exhibits
the harmonious connection between the duo. The sometimes discordant piece is
dexterously performed by Sir – whose violin is elegantly underpinned by the
restrained keys from Andrievsky. Although the upbeat, flamenco-like spirit of
the movements give them more range, we can’t help but feel that these
arrangements are still confining their evidently astonishing prowess.
Born in Upha, Russia, Irina
Andrievsky went to Moscow to study at the Central Music School for Specially Gifted
Children at age 11. She has won international piano awards in Italy, and is
actively involved with the Royal College of Music in London.
We are treated to the first truly
unbridled demonstration of Sir and Kochanski’s mastery in the form of an encore
performance of a 1971 movement entitled Souvenir, by Slovak composer Ladislav
Kupkovič. The deft way Sir pucks and dances with her instrument is a spectacle,
and it is matched by Kochanski’s impassioned strikes of the piano – this piece
at last giving us the extravaganza we were anticipating.
Joo Yeon Sir and Irina Andrievsky
have delivered an afternoon of world class chamber music, performed with grace
and finesse. Though at times this elegance was subdued, their flawless
execution was anything but slack.
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