22 Mar Review: Marianna Mozart at the Cleveland Museum of Art

“Les Délices presents Yamin and Edwards in Mozart-Era Music at the CMA”

Review from ClevelandClassical by Daniel Hathaway

“The concert featured a handsome instrument from the Museum’s collection by the pioneering modern builder Phillip Belt, whose work was influenced by such historic craftspeople as Johann Andreas Stein and Anton Walter. Although the instrument’s ability to achieve subtle gradations of dynamics and articulation might have been better appreciated in a smaller space, Edward’s skillful keyboard technique made it clear what expressive effects proponents of the fortepiano were after.

…Both performers joyfully coaxed long lines and beautiful sounds from their period instruments, in Mark Edward’s case producing a range of colors within a limited palette of hues. In the final, C-major Sonata, the duo wove melodic lines above a simple bass and made the most of the catchy Rondo theme.

…More interesting was Maddalena Lombardini’s Sonata in A (1776), a fun piece that covered the full range of the violin and ascended into the stratosphere. Shelby Yamin handled its many double stops and thorny technical passages with grace and conviction.

Jane Mary Guest’s Sonata Op.1 No. 3 in B-flat (c.1774, published in 1784) used felt between the hammers and strings to produce a muted effect for the simple but beautiful Adagio melody. The concluding Presto was fun and lively, bold yet delicate, and featured fast unison scales between the two instruments.

Before the final Wolfgang piece, Mark Edwards gave a magnificent solo performance of Josepha Barbara Auernhammer’s delightful Variations on Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja (1792) from Wolfgang Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte.

It was a shame that Marianne Mozart had to miss this party.”

Click here to read the full review on ClevelandClassical.com