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The Gazette (Montreal), Canada
May 12, 2012 Saturday
Final Edition
Youth is not wasted on the romantics
by LEV BRATISHENKO, The Gazette
"April comes like an idiot." Jake Heggie puts these and other immortal
words into the mouths of singers including Armenian soprano Isabel
Bayrakdarian. Happily, there wasn't much Heggie at the opening concert
of the 17th Montreal Chamber Music Festival.
The youth of the performers was promising. Bayrakdarian and her
pianist-husband, Serouj Kradjian, occasionally accompanied by a string
quartet, launched into an international trajectory of romantics with
Liszt's brash Die drei Zeigeuner of 1860; a traveller meets some
gypsies and marvels at their carefree ways, as you do.
Recklessly, we thought the evening would continue in this vein, but it
turned dramatic with two sonnets from the "Italian year" of Liszt's
Years of Pilgrimage suite, much sadder stuff. Pace non trovo, on love
as a prison, was then developed in Heggie's Songs and Sonnets to
Ophelia.
Bayrakdarian sounds better in French, Italian and Armenian. I'm not
sure why. Her English and German have turbulence at the wingedge. Not
helped, in any case, by Heggie's lurching survey of motifs.
Our arrival at Berlioz's elegant La Mort d'Ophélie was consequently a
relief. Sorry, Ophelia. Then Ernest Chausson and his terrifyingly
titled Chanson perpétuelle ended the half in a long moan on
abandonment and love.
During the intermission we consoled each other until interrupted by
Ottorino Respighi's Il Tramonto, a 19th century British poem on
sunsets and waking up next to your dead lover.
Then Kradjian introduced his Hommage à Gomidas. In honour of the
priest responsible for conserving Armenia's folk songs, it and the
following five songs by Gomidas arranged for Bayrakdarian, piano and
strings, were the audience favourites. Hommage was a fantasy that
burst out into occasional loveliness, while the Songs beautifully
stretched a woodwind melody over five instruments and voice.
Bayrakdarian smiled and told us how she sings one to her son; an
enchanting lullaby, it never puts him to sleep.
The 17th Montreal Chamber Music Festival continues until June 2 with
many promising concerts, including the Canadian premiere of the James
Ehnes String Quartet on May 27. For more information, visit
www.festivalmontreal.org.
From: A. Papazian
May 12, 2012 Saturday
Final Edition
Youth is not wasted on the romantics
by LEV BRATISHENKO, The Gazette
"April comes like an idiot." Jake Heggie puts these and other immortal
words into the mouths of singers including Armenian soprano Isabel
Bayrakdarian. Happily, there wasn't much Heggie at the opening concert
of the 17th Montreal Chamber Music Festival.
The youth of the performers was promising. Bayrakdarian and her
pianist-husband, Serouj Kradjian, occasionally accompanied by a string
quartet, launched into an international trajectory of romantics with
Liszt's brash Die drei Zeigeuner of 1860; a traveller meets some
gypsies and marvels at their carefree ways, as you do.
Recklessly, we thought the evening would continue in this vein, but it
turned dramatic with two sonnets from the "Italian year" of Liszt's
Years of Pilgrimage suite, much sadder stuff. Pace non trovo, on love
as a prison, was then developed in Heggie's Songs and Sonnets to
Ophelia.
Bayrakdarian sounds better in French, Italian and Armenian. I'm not
sure why. Her English and German have turbulence at the wingedge. Not
helped, in any case, by Heggie's lurching survey of motifs.
Our arrival at Berlioz's elegant La Mort d'Ophélie was consequently a
relief. Sorry, Ophelia. Then Ernest Chausson and his terrifyingly
titled Chanson perpétuelle ended the half in a long moan on
abandonment and love.
During the intermission we consoled each other until interrupted by
Ottorino Respighi's Il Tramonto, a 19th century British poem on
sunsets and waking up next to your dead lover.
Then Kradjian introduced his Hommage à Gomidas. In honour of the
priest responsible for conserving Armenia's folk songs, it and the
following five songs by Gomidas arranged for Bayrakdarian, piano and
strings, were the audience favourites. Hommage was a fantasy that
burst out into occasional loveliness, while the Songs beautifully
stretched a woodwind melody over five instruments and voice.
Bayrakdarian smiled and told us how she sings one to her son; an
enchanting lullaby, it never puts him to sleep.
The 17th Montreal Chamber Music Festival continues until June 2 with
many promising concerts, including the Canadian premiere of the James
Ehnes String Quartet on May 27. For more information, visit
www.festivalmontreal.org.
From: A. Papazian