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RECITAL REVIEW
January 4, 2004
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By Charles Barber
The young American cellist Alisa Weilerstein made two wise choices at her
Sunday afternoon recital in the Palace of the Legion of Honor: her accompanist, and her repertoire.
The pianist, Adam Neiman, was remarkably buoyant and supportive. He is all
of four years older than she, and a vivid personality in his own right. He
set strong tempi, never overplayed his hand, and served his partner. The
music itself offered an impressive display of stylistic range and
interpretive intuition.
Each half of the program opened with an anthology. The first began with
Beethoven's variations on “Bei Männern,” from Act 1 of Mozart's The Magic Flute. The second began with the “Suite Populaire Espagnole” by Manuel de Falla, originally written for piano. Opening with these works allowed Weilerstein to be heard at her best, in small forms. In particular, the variation structure of the Beethoven required her to portray character, to shade it in color and dynamic, and to pace the unfolding dialogue. She did not fail to find these voices.
The Falla was even more successful. Based on six Spanish folksongs, and
first arranged by violinist Paul Kochanski (himself a colleague of Casals,
through Siloti), they proceed across a geography of dance, lullaby, and
place. Weilerstein's graceful singing line, especially in the more
meditative work, was captivating. She is unafraid to approach silence. Her
pianissimi, and exquisite harmonics, allowed this music to shimmer in the
Spanish heat.
It was in the Brahms that she occasionally ran aground on shoals of haste and uncertainty. Transcribed — and adjusted — by Brahms from his own Op. 78, the violin sonata in G Major, this work requires the deepest attention to form and connection. Even more profoundly, it requires an introspection in the solo lines, and an intimacy in conversation, which was just slightly beyond her grasp. Phrase endings could be dismissive. Time was not taken. Phrases which should have been transfigured by breath and release were instead simply placed on a conveyor belt of solid technique and insubstantial insight. Arpeggiated and scalar figures on the lower strings were sometimes muddy, and in the highest register sound could be disappointingly thin. Even so, there were moments of startling beauty. Her double-stops in the slow movement were magical. Counter-intuitive bowings made for novel sound and attack, the account of a young and gifted artist. The recital ended with Prokofiev's Sonata in C Major, Op. 119. This was the wisest choice of all. Its straightforward character and high energy were perfectly matched by her own strengths as a performer. She produced an enormous sound in the lowest registers, and it was thrilling. Prokofiev's slap-bass and other percussive effects were delivered unafraid. She took a series of brilliant ideas and volleyed them back, on fire. In return, the audience gave Weilerstein and Neiman the greatest applause of the day. This earned an encore, Fauré's “Après un rève,” and it was sung with sweet restraint.
A final word about perceptions. The pianist was warm, smiling, and engaged. During his remarks about the Brahms he proved a generous host, inviting us to the sort of recital which takes place in the living room of old friends. Weilerstein, when playing, often gave the impression of merely glaring at the audience. She smiled little, and grudgingly. At such moments it became the sort of recital merely witnessed from afar, as if behind one-way glass. However, when she addressed the audience before the Prokofiev, she gave a very different — and much more welcoming — impression, and the audience warmed to her touch. It will be a very good thing when all her work lives this way.
(Charles Barber holds masters' and doctoral degrees in conducting from
Stanford University, has served as assistant to Sir Charles Mackerras, and
studied with Carlos Kleiber. In May 2004, he will conduct in St.
Petersburg, Russia, his debut in that city.)
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Alisa Weilerstein