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______ __ARTS____
e7 Thursday, January 29, 1981
Pinchas ukerman: A musicall


By JANE CARL
Everyone ought to see a major artist
at least once in their lifetime. The ex-
perience borders on the magical. I'm
not speaking of the Plasmatics or even
Bruce Springsteen; I'm speaking of a
man who is regularly exhorted as one of
the three best violinists in the world
today, mlybe of the entire century, and
often referred to as the best, no other
explanation necessary. I'm speaking of
Pinchas Zukerman.
"Mr. Zukerman," a young Oriental
girl said while standing backstage after
the concert, clutching her autograph
book tightly, "I've been trying to play
the violin for eight years now." "Oh,
that's nothing," Zukerman replied,
"I've been trying to play it for about
twenty," but he does more than try.
LOOKING MORE like a Talmudic
scholar than a world-renowned artist,
Zukerman took the stage with accom-
panist Marc Neikrug. The first piece on

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the all Brahms concert was the "Scher-
zo from F.A.E. Sonata for Violin and
Piano." Deft fingers flying, Zukerman
makes his perfection seem deceptively
easy. With typical Brahnsian
displacement of meter, the piece con-
tained a lovely, frenzied, lyrical quality
which Zukerman brought to the
forefront.
The second work on the concert was
the "Sonata in G major, Op. 78, No. 1,
for Violin and Piano." The first
movement, marked "Vivace ma non
troppo," is full of audible emotion, bit-
tersweet nostalgia and a more
hopefully retrospective mood. Here, in
the little antiphonalities between
Zukerman and Neikrug, one felt the
depth of musical sensitivity between
the two. Within its diversified and in-
triguing tonalities, Zukerman wafted
along effortlessly exhibiting the
ultimate in facility and ability. It was
as if he had just sat down with Brahms
for a little tete-a-tete a few hours

3-

earlier and discussed the maximum
possibilities for this movement,
T THE SECOND MOVEMENT,
marked "Adagio," begins with a solo
section for the piano, throughout which
Zukerman adopted a Napoleon-like
stance. Already Zukerman had
conquered this concert hall, and he
knew it. When he did begin to play, the
notes demanded the ears of the listener.
There is a haunting quality in the
playing of this man, as if it transcends
mere reality.
The second theme, almost martial in
character, contrasted with Zukerman's
incredible runs, which were smoother
than silk. His pianissimos were also
quite remarkable; almost inaudible,
their presence is felt more than it is
heard.
The final movement, "Allegro molto
moderato," had a rhapsodic quality
that was nicely offset by the contrapun-
tal piano, a perpetuity generated by
continual sixteenth note figures.
House Dems
halt GOP
bid for seats
WASHINGTON (AP)-House
Democrats, voting as a bloc, crushed a
final Republican attempt yesterday to
' give the GOP two more seats on the
powerful Ways and Means Committee.
The full House then ratified selections
made earlier by respective Republican
and Democratic caucuses which
assigned each member to specific
committees.
That organizational step freed the
House to actively begin work on
legislative proposals soon to be sent up
by President Reagan. No hearings on
legislation could be held until the com-
mittees were organized.
Not a single Democrat strayed from
the party line as the House voted 221-172
against a Republican effort to add two
Republican seats to the Ways and
Means Committee, the panel which will
handle the tax.cut proposed by Reagan.
Republicans claimed Democratic
leaders had warned all Democrats that
any mernber who voted with the
Republicans would be kicked out of the
Democratic Caucus. But Democrats
said no such threat was made.

Unifying the sonata was a passage very
similar to the theme of the second
movement and a recurrence of the first
movement's poignancy. This work is
truly a duet, as Brahms sonatas are,
and sparkled with the two first rate per-
formers approaching it as if it were as
natural as breathing.
THE SECOND HALF of the evening
was composed of only one work, the
"Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 120, for
Viola and Piano." The first movement,
"Allegro appassionato," was a dark,
broodingly passionate selection
marked by precision of interplay bet-
ween the viola and piano and occasional
violent outbursts from both sources.
Here, Zukerman revealed himself to be
the consummate musician by proving
to be no less a violist than he is a
violinist.
The "Andante un poci adagio" was
another piece of tender reminiscence.
Only one theme is introduced in this
movement, but it is of such exquisite
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beauty and gentility that its
reiterations do not become unin-
teresting or inconsequential. Zukerman
and Neikrug gavae this movement a
very skillful interpretation full of nuan-
ce and suggestion.
The "Allegretto grazioso" third
movement was a charming, lilting
piece, very much like a Viennese waltz.
A simple, understated theme provided
a welcome relief from the usual
weightiness and sobriety of Brahms.
The tiny rubatos were very effective,
and the performance as a whole was
exuberant and fresh.
THE FINAL MOVEMENT,
"Vivace," had a marvelous theme and
some very intriguing characteristics. A
virile work, it was given over to

____________________U ft.

POETRY READING
With JANE NAVARRE, JOEL
LIPMAN, & NANCY BOCK
Reading from their works.
THURS., JAN. 29
7:30 P.M.
Admission: FREE
GUILD HOUSE

NOON LUNCHEON
Homemade Soup & Sandwich 754
FRIDAY, JAN. 30
PROF. TOM WEISSKOPF,
Econ. Dept.
"Ronald Reagan meets
the Economic crisis:
What can we expect?"
802 MONvROE


The Michigan Doi.
egends
restrained passion that unexpectedly
bursts forth on occasion, but w
usually content to exist just below
surface. Again, the ambiguity of meter
teased the ear and the more typical
weightiness of Brahms crept in.
Zukerman performed two encore
the second movement of the "Son
No. 2 in E flat major" by Brahms a
the peasant-like "Hungarian Dance No6
1." Both were works of great clarity
and a rather macho, lust for life ai
proach to music-making. In a recent in-
terview Zukerman said, "If, physically,
because of the conducting, I will not be
able to play the fiddle as well as I am
playing it now, then I will quit one of
them. -


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Evening with DeJohnette
More top-flight jazz comes to Ann Arbor this weekend as
Eclipse opens its winter series with a performance by Jack
De Johnette's Special Edition band. The band's LP Special
Edition, was chosen Album of the Year by the readers of
Down Beat magazine and earned a place on practically
everybody's 10 Best list for 1980. De Johnette hasn't brought
a band to southeast Michigan in years, so this is certainly a
show to catch.
Over the course of his decades in jazz, De Johnette has ap-
peared onsuch albums as Charles Lloyd's Forest Flower,
Miles Davis' Bitches' Brew and Live-Evil, and Freddie Hub-
bard's First Light. He has played music running the gamut
from smooth WJZZ-style mainstream jazz to funk to fusion to
the free sound of the European and domestic avante-garde.
His recent releases have featured loose, open arrangements
that allow elements of these styles to mingle freely. The
band's mood can be funky, moody, traditional or spacey by
turns, and is energetically paced by the leader's.drumming.
Featured tenor saxophonist Chico Freeman, like De
Johnette, is a Chicago native. His recent Ann Arbor perfor-
mances-including a set at last year's Jazz Festival--have
been well received. Baritone saxophonist John Purcell and
bassist Peter Warren round out the group, and De Johnette
will double on piano and melodica.
Jack De Johnette and the Special Edition band will per-
form Saturday, January 31, at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. in the
Michigan League Ballroom. Not to be missed!



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