The Michigan Daily-Friday, January 20, 1978-Page 5
Serkin sweeps
By MARKB JOHANSSOUN
R UDOLFSERKIN, the child prodi-
gy who could play the piano at age
four - sight reading and playing better
then his teachers, and whose impres-
sive career began with an appearance
with the Vienna -Symphony at age
twelve, returned to Hill Auditorium
,wednesd night to lead his audience
through the classical keyboard masters
into romanticism with a program of
"Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and
Rudolf Serkin
Hill Audiorium
January 18, 1978
Sonata in E-flat major, No. 49 ............... Haydn
Rondo in A minor, K. 511 .................... Mozart
Sonata in E-flat major,
Op. 81a, "Les Adieux.............. Beethoven
Sonata in B-flat major, Op. Posth........Schubert
5 Schubert.
Dr uring the University Musical
iSociety presentation, Serkin proved he
is certainly one of the most eminent
living pianists as he took the expectant
audience through four pieces from the
heart of piano music.
To begin the program, Serkin played
the Sonata in E-flat major,. No. 49, by
Franz Joseph Haydn. This sonata was
one of the most important Haydn wrote
as each of the movements are of full
classical dimensions. The composition
was played very classically, with an
even tempo and a straight-forward
style. In the Allegro, the sound was
clean yet full, to give the movement
considerable energy and drive. The or-
naments were executed nearly perfect-
ly and were kept in exact tempo.
THE ADAGIO, which Haydn himself
declared to have "deep significance,"
was played with a strong tone in the
melody and sensitive dynamics to bring
out much emotion. The delicate -and
charming Finale showed good balance
between the hands, while using a gen-
erally light touch.
Mozart's Rondo in A minor, K. 511
was performed next after a big inter-
ruption by latecomers where Serkin
simply sat at thepiano and waited. The
Rondo is a good indication of the
progression of the classical style, and
Mozart's principle influences came
from his continuing study of Haydn and
his discovery of the music of Bach.
In the Mozart, Serkin's tempo was
again extremely even. His dynamics,
and phrasing were appropriate and his
tone much lighter, and thinner, yet still
warm. The notes were all played pre-
cisely with everything in its place. The
scales and arpeggios were even and
musical, fitting well into the whole.
THE LAST WORK before intermis-
sion was Sonata No. 26 in E-flat major,
Op. 81a (Les Adieux) by Beethoven,
and its three movenkents are entitled
Farewell, Absence, and Return, having
been inspired by a departure from and
return to Vienna.
In the first movement, Les Adieux:
adagio, allegro the solemn, minor
chords tell of an emotional goodbye,
and as the chords turn to the major key,
the anticipation of the journey is felt,
and the allegro begins. Serkin's playing
was precise, with his dynamics being
trough
very expressive, especially during the
pianissimo passages.
The excellent interpretation of L'ab-
sence: andante espressivo, conveyed
well the longing for home, as the
melody was kept well above the accom-
paniment. The beautiful tone seemed to
hang in the air. Le Retour: vivacissa-
mente characterizes the joy of return-
ing home with complex and exciting
r'hythms. Just as the emotions grow as
one is returning, each repetition of the
first theme got louder and more ener-
getic. The playing was smooth despite
all the notes, including the ornamenta-
tion in the development.
After intermission came the even-
ing's magnum opus, the Sonata in B-flat
major, Op. Posth. by Schubert. In the
Molto the beautiful melody was brought
:assics
out well with a full, rounded tone, and
the lyric and percussive ideas were
blended skillfully. The slow, harmoni-
ous melody of the right hand chord pro-
gressions in the Andante was given a
sensitive interpretation and the chords
were full and resonant. The accom-
panying arpeggios under the melody
were kept in tempo, and the final
resolution was moving.
The Scherzo had great dynamic con-
trol, especially in the contrasts between
the soaring, well-phrased right-hand
work, and the fiery chordal passages. A
melody dominated by two note phrases,
at times in octaves, was well-phrased,
powerful and exciting - raging more
and more with each repeat. At the end
of the piece, the audience immediately
rose in a standing ovation.
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Undergraduates, bring in your fall final semes-
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Shopping deadline is February 25th
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ON MAIN STREET IN ANN ARBOR
Simple spirit colors
Hungarian footwork
THE U OF Ms OFFICE OF MAJOR EVENTS PRESENTS:
WILLIENIELSONI
SPECIAL GUEST
WYlT I1O1TlT
WTH GUEST DON BOWMAN
- r- -
Sunday February 5 Crisler Arena Ann Arbor 7:30 PM
Reserved Seats $7-$6
Tickets available at the Michigan Union Box Office in Ann Arbor, (763-2071),
M-F 11:30-5:30
Sorry, no personal checks.
Tickets also available at ail Hudsons, at Paul Webbs Record Store and the
Huckleberry Party Store in Ypsilanti. Or order by mail by sending self-addressed,
stamped envelope and money order only to: Willie Nelson, Michigan Union Box
Office, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
By PAULA HUNTER
IWE ALWAYS found it difficult to sit
through folk dancing, even at a pro-
fessional level. The rhythm is generally
so driving, the melodies so infectious;
and the energy so high,'that I'd much
dance yet providing a high source of
energy for the performance. Hungarian
folk music is very intense, and it took
the skilled leader, Bela Vavrinecz, to
keep it from either taking center stage
or becoming a mass of noise behind the
sporadic cries and songs of the dancers.
The costuming was colorful and very
much im keeping with the Hungarian
peasant dances. Multi-colored ribbons
and trims contrasted with the striking
white of the peasant blouses and skirts.
The black boots and shoes flattered and
accentuated the complex footwork
characteristic of all the dances.
The Hungarian Folk Ballet
Power Center
Tuesday, January 17
Antal Simon, Director and Artistic Leader
Antal Kriskovics, Deputy Artistic Leader
Bela Vavrinecz, Musical Leader
rather participate clumsily than tap my
feet and hum under my breath.
;This was my feeling Tuesday night at-
Power. Center, when the Hungarian
Folk Ballet, under the auspicies of the
University Musical Society, offered a
spirited and authentic display of its
native dance and music. As colorful and
lively as the performance was, it was
its essential simplicity - the lack of
daring and spectacle - that narrowed
the distance traditionally separating
concert performers from their audien-
ces.
THE "BOTTLE DANCE," perfor-
med by a group of women in brightly
--colored peasant dresses,. was in-
' triguing by virtue of its combination of
'the simple and the daring. The women
balanced bottles of wine on their heads
while moving smoothly-and swiftly in
.simple geometric formations. Deftly
placing the bottles on the floor, the dan-
cers moved in deft style around the bot-
tIes, all without a single spill.
The "Men's Dance From Ture" was
.one of the most brilliant and complex of
all the works. Wearing long, colorful
streamers attached to their hats and
belts, they moved in groups and indi-
vidually with mesmerising intensity.
-Some of the more interesting dance
steps were displayed here, as the small,
,quick footwork grew steadily larger
,and then diminished quickly to accom-
modate frenetically fast music. This
movement was taken to extremes, and
was completely captivating.
The accompanying group, the Gypsy
Orchestra of Budapest, was quite ex-
cellent, never once overshadowing the
Europe's highest volcano is Mount
Etna. It rises 10,900 feet above the
'lonian Sea on the Island of Sicily.
F ADfUITECTS .
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SATURDAY, JAN. 20 AND 21
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TICKETS: $4.00 at School Kids Records
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This concert made possible, in part,.by a grant from the National Endowment for the
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Please, no smoking, food or drink in the Kiva.
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