It is rare to have the opportunity to hear a single composer's entire body of work for a medium on one program. On Sunday, November 21 at Brooklyn College, Ursula Oppens and Jerome Lowenthal performed the one-and two-piano music of John Corigliano. The composer was present for the performance. Unfortunately, not too many others were. I noticed what seemed to be some music faculty members (with possibly a few spouses or significant others) and a handful of students. What a shame!
The program began with a brilliantly performed two-piano work, Kaleidoscope. True to its title, this work bounces from musical image to musical image. Much of the work evokes the spirit of Charles Ives. Ives' approach to quotation is also used. This was a great program opener.
Ms. Oppens then performed two solo works. The first is perhaps Corigliano's most frequently performed piano piece, Fantasia on an Ostinato. I had heard this work earlier on a Bargemusic piano recital so it was interesting to hear how Ms. Oppens approached it. Because the work contains opportunities for the performer to shape the form of the music, each performance will be different, perhaps even dramatically so. There was some slight difference in the nature of the two performances in that the Bargemusic pianist performed from memory whereas Ms. Oppens used the score. This is not to knock using the score but I think the performer needs to be careful not to give the impression that he or she is reading the music. Visually, this creates a different sensation for the audience and can also lead to a more prosaic rendering. Ms. Oppens has obviously lived with this score for a long time and so her performance was quite powerful and engaging. Reading from the score did, at times, interfere with the projection of the music to the audience. The next piece, Winging It, is an extended multi-movement work that does often convey a sense of improvisation in its whimsical nature. Largely a very splashy piece, there are some very beautiful Debussyan passages and also some very nostalgic passages, especially in the second section of the work.
Following an intermission, Ms. Oppens played Corigliano's Etude Fantasy. She explained that this work is actually a continuous set of five etudes, each focusing on a particular technical issue, such as ornaments or melody projection. The work harked back to many aspects of the Fantasia. For me, it has more musical substance than Winging It (the title of which implies something tossed off).
For the final work of the recital, Mr. Lowenthal rejoined Ms. Oppens on the stage. I am sure that the audience as curious as to why there was a third piano on the stage. Mr. Lowenthal explained that one of the pianos had been tuned a quarter-tone lower (or higher) than the other. An older, less "valuable" instrument was used in this case as technicians are usually loathe to change the pitches of all the keys. This work, Chiaroscuro, was an effective program closer just as Kaleidoscope was an effective program opener. The word "chiaroscuro" comes from the visual arts and means a work that possesses a strong contrast between light and dark shadings. Such a technique creates a sense of depth and dimension in a painting. For this piano piece, the second, retuned, piano is often used to create light or shadow sounds. Because this second piano was not of the quality of the first, there was also a noticeable difference on the sound of the two instruments. Two very humorous touches added to this work. First, at two points, the pianists trade places, each "vamping" while the other makes his/her way to the other piano. This took everyone by surprise. Second, Corigliano quotes from the psalm tune "Old 100th" in the latter stages of the work. These touches again brought Ives to mind. Ives composed a very odd but interesting set of pieces for two pianos tuned a quarter tone apart which I have performed on two different occasions.
It was quite interesting to hear the entire body of Corigliano's piano music on one program. When one considers his overall output it is clear that he has not focused much on the piano. It will be interesting to see how well his piano music wears. It is all very challenging technically and musically, so that will limit its availability to performers.
Perhaps this is just the musicologist in me, but having program notes about the composer and his relationship with the piano, along with some background on the works, would have added to the program. There wasn't even any information on the composer--only the two performers. I realize that these two performers are very busy and probably could not take the time to develop such notes (although sure the composer has a bio that could have been provided). A colleague (or perhaps the composer himself) could have supplied some notes. I know the composer appreciated hearing these works performed by such wonderful artists. I could see him following along with his scores and often making marks.
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