A review of the concert on March 22, 2009 by Sharon Brook.
The penultimate concert of The Steinway Society’s 2008- 9 season on March 22, 2009 showcased the poetic playing of the British pianist, Imogen Cooper. During her playing of two monumental Schubert works, she deftly drew a rapt Trianon audience into her personal parlor, making it readily apparent why she is deemed one of the world’s foremost interpreters of Schubert’s music.
Ms. Cooper opened the concert with Bach’s Partita No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826. The high drama of the annunciatory “fortissimo” Sinfonia yielded to a lovely ‘pianissimo’ in the ensuing Andante. The Allegro moderato that followed was full-bodied and well voiced, with bass lines projecting loudly and clearly. Her treatment of the partita was almost orchestral; this was rich and robust Bach – definitely not for the purists who balk at playing music written for the harpsichord on the modern piano. She even committed the sacrileges of using a smattering of pedal and touches of ‘rubato’ (poetic license with the tempo). But to these ears, Ms. Cooper captured the essence of each dance – whether it be French-style (as the Courante and Rondeau) or Italianate (Sarabande). She did not attempt to imitate a harpsichord, but unapologetically utilized the full resources of the modern 9′ Steinway grand. Her dynamic contrasts were pronounced – especially between the subdued and elegant Allemande and Sarabande, and the boisterous and spirited Rondeau and Capriccio.
The Bach Partita seemed to serve as a prelude to the festivities of the musical soiree that followed. From the moment Imogen Cooper began playing Schubert’s Moments Musicaux D. 780, she evoked the atmosphere of Schubert himself playing his music in a patron’s home, surrounded by fellow musicians and friends. Ms. Cooper’s playing conjured up the intimacy of a 19th century Schubertiad and we, the audience, were sitting in her living room. She played these six gems very intimately, with a vast palette of dynamics and tone colors. Her mastery of Schubert’s lyricism shone through; it was as if she sang his melodies – fitting for the composer of over 600 Lieder. Number One of the set opened with a shepherd-like horn call which Ms. Cooper played expressively, answered by a _sotto voce_ echo. Her phrasing, voicing and articulations were lovely, creating a pastoral effect. Number Two also had seamless phrasing as well as a spacious feel. She took her time to underscore transitions between sections so we could enjoy the scenery along the way. Number Three was delightfully danceable. Number Four opened with classical Beethovenian arpeggios, then segued into an aria-like section where she produced a dreamy ‘pianissimo.’ Number Five was the most grandiose and impulsive of the set; she displayed a fine command of the opening and closing Beethovenian chords. Number Six, the most introspective of the set, was performed with elegant voicing and ‘innig’ (heartfelt) expression.
The second half of the concert began with a definite departure from Schubert — Schoenberg’s Six Little Pieces Op. 19. These aphoristic pieces, composed in 1911, fall stylistically between his early tonality and his evolution to 12-tone serialism. Thus, the work is atonal, but just as expressive as Schubert’s earlier six pieces. In fact, the actual style of Op. 19 is expressionistic (like a Kandinsky painting). Imogen Cooper portrayed the varying characters of each piece well — from the lyrical (Nos. 1 and 3) to the delicate (No. 2) to the angular (No. 4) to the hushed (No. 6, an homage to Mahler).
The final work on the concert was Schubert’s Sonata in C minor D. 958 — the evening’s piece de resistance. Ms. Cooper pulled out all the stops in this massive sonata, taking the audience on a journey with her through myriad moods and characters. She played the very Beethovenian opening theme of the first movement with brio and a rich timbre to the chords. Her passagework in the treble was crystalline. The lyrical second theme was exquisite, owing to the _sotto voce_ timbre she produced. It had a spacious feel as she deliberately slowed the tempo. On the other hand, she deliberately rushed the semiquavers in the development section, intensifying the sense of propulsion toward the recapitulation. The second-movement Adagio showcased Ms. Cooper’s ability to play on the other side of silence; she produced some of the most delicate ‘pianissimos’ I have heard at Le Petit Trianon. She also sustained the long melody line, playing the whole movement like a dramatic aria. The third-movement Minuet literally danced, while the Trio was more introspective. The last-movement Allegro is a tour de force tarantella which Ms. Cooper dug into with gusto. She effected character changes very well – from the jazzy off-beat sections to the little lullaby to the tantalizing transition before the return to the main theme. Because she always followed the musical thread, a very long, meandering movement became coherent.
The Schubertiad concluded with an encore of 16 German Dances which, once again, showcased Imogen Cooper’s expressive magic.
