ON the Beat | Pipe Organ Goes Public, Trifonov Goes Deep

Daniil Trifonov | Photo: David Bazemore

As an inclusive invitational gesture, the opening night of the new UCSB Arts & Lectures season opened its portals with a feast, for all comers. Rather than hosting an exclusive reception for donors and VIPs, last Tuesday’s Daniil Trifonov recital was preceded by a party under a wedding-style tent, with vittles and mocktails for any and all to savor at intermission. Deserts were trotted out tent-side during intermission, and a final designer cookie — with the A&L logo — was supplied on the way out.

That’s our idea of entertainment and hospitality on the democratic plan.

As for the musical content of the night, it’s hard to imagine a more ideal and sublime kickoff than another visit from Trifonov, who has become a local legend, to match his global status in the higher ranks of living classical pianists. I spoke with a rabid “Trifonov groupie” after the show, who had seen him first at Carnegie Hall many years ago and has sought out his appearances ever since. He has that power: each of his now three Campbell Hall concerts has won over an expanding population of devotees. Count me as one.

Last Tuesday’s recital (September 30) lavishly demonstrated Trifonov’s gifts at the piano, which he hunches over and engages intimately with, along with the scores at hand. It also showcased his intriguing approach to programming. Here, the familiar turf of Schumann’s Sonata No. 1 was given an expert and exploratory reading in the second half, while the first was dedicated to Russian models, Prokofiev in the “best-known” slot, alongside Sergei Taneyev (1856-1915) and Nikolai Myaskovsky (1881-1950).

Taneyev’s Prelude and Fugue in G-sharp minor benefitted from Trifonov’s natural acumen for moving seamlessly from feathery revery to dramatic bluster. His versatility was even more boldly showcased in the 20 varied miniature movements in Prokofiev’s fascinating cabinet of wonders, Visions Fugitives, which flowed without pause into the furies of Myaskovsky’s Sonata No. 2.

Schumann is, of course, another world unto itself, and Trifonov works well sympathetically with the German pre-romantic composer, understanding its balance of strength and vulnerability.

It’s possible to point to Trifonov’s many apparent musical virtues, from the delicacy and potential ferocity of his touch to his fluid virtuosity and heightened sensitivity to dynamics as a living thing. But there is also something mystical and ineffable about his playing, a captivating quality sometimes reminiscent of Sir András Schiff, where precision meets deep radiant musicality. You know it when you hear it and feel it, especially in a live setting, and descriptions can’t do justice to the quiet sure power of his music-making.

Once you catch the fever, you too won’t want to miss a Trifonov visitation op.

Tale of Two Thomases, Pipe Organ Goes Public

Pipe organ fans, future fans, and other curious parties be alerted: A double treat is in store this week, as the calendar suddenly features not one, but two organ recitals (albeit compact half hour affairs). At the consoles are two musicians sharing the name Thomas, like brothers from other mothers. Thomas Joyce performs in the Trinity Episcopal Church’s Noon Concerts series, and the other formidable organist in town, the L.A.-based Thomas Mellan, gives the first in a series of recitals at his regular post at the First United Methodist Church on Sunday, October 12, at 11 a.m.

Joyce has established himself as an impressive organist and musician over several years, who gave a memorable “Nelson Huber” recital at All-Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal church earlier this year. At Trinity, Joyce will be focusing on a passion of his, Baroque music, from the centering force of J.S. Bach to Italian and Spanish music of the period.

For his part, Mellan, who took up his position at the Methodist church just this year, has an international reputation, and also an iconoclastic one. The so-called “bad boy of pipe organ” returned from a summer of recital-izing in his native France and Germany, and, on piano, played Boulez’ demanding Sonata No. 2 as part of L.A.’s “Piano Spheres” series last spring. He has used the opportunity of his Methodist church service duties to unveil fascinating organ works and transcriptions and from the classical canon.

On the church’s historic organ, dating back to 1927 and with many upgrades over the years, Mellan will perform Max Reger’s challenging, dense and intense Inferno: Symphonic Fantasy and Fugue, which pushes the organ to symphonic dimensions (Listen to Mellan’s recording of the piece here). Another calendar marker: Mellan performs another recital on Sunday, October 26, a timely Halloween Classics from Bach to Burton (that’s Tim Burton of arty-spooky film world fame).

This just in: Mellan will also give a fuller recital at the Methodist church on Saturday, November 8, as part of the Santa Barbara Music Club series.

The opportunity to hear these fine organs in town — and these superlative organists — is readily available on almost any Sunday in bite-size chunks, when they play during church services and slip in more extended wares in the prelude and postlude portions of the service. But the chance to hear these instruments, in their architecturally embraced, site-specific homes in purer focus is a too-rare treat.

Whataweek

What a Week that Was for concert action in town. Once in a while, the stars align — in both cosmic and musical terms — and Santa Barbara sees a convergence of high-flying shows within a compact segment of the calendar. Much of this coalesced thanks to the opening of concert seasons by UCSB Arts & Lectures and CAMA, but the power week began with a show of mythic proportions, the night Sir Paul McCartney snuck onto the Santa Barbara Bowl schedule for a concert which was either a pre-tour warm up or a tour kickoff (we prefer the latter). It was a night to be remembered on a vast scale, especially for those of us who were weaned as Beatlemaniacs,

On Tuesday, the mystically fine Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov triumphed, tastefully (as I discussed earlier); Thursday belonged to the bedazzling and eminent young jazz singer Samara Joy; and on Friday, the L.A. Philharmonic concert — the last local appearance with Gustavo Dudamel and a double-dose of Stravinsky (ending with a righteous Rite of Spring) — was the most powerful L.A. Phil show in town, in memory.

There are plenty more pleasures to be savored in the fall musical line-up, but we’re still reeling in the four-pronged memory of the week that was.

To-Doings:

One of the best cultural reasons for Santa Barbarans to head over the 154 and for North County residents to stay in town is the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series (SYV), which starts its 45th season this Saturday, October 11, in the atmospherically and acoustically friendly environs of St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley. The subject is Brahms’ chamber music, as played by cellist Ani Aznavoorian, violinist Joan Kwuon, David Gresham on clarinet, Jean Smith on horn, and pianist (and series director) Robert Cassidy.

Speaking of potent reasons to head to the SYV, the legendary, star-studded and also sweetly homespun Tales from the Tavern continues its season on Wednesday, October 15, with seasoned singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters. Home-based in the rustic cool atmosphere of the Maverick Saloon, “Tales” has had a sparkler of a series thus far, previewed by July’s match up of Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Dave Alvin and, last Wednesday, Peter Case. The beat and melodies and tales go on.

Meanwhile, the still-young and ambitious project known as Santa Barbara Chamber Players, raised from the ashes of the beloved, now-defunct Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, continues with its mission this Sunday afternoon, October 12, at Trinity Lutheran Church. The program is a diverse one, with Debussy, Dvorak, and composers from more obscure corners of the musical omniverse. The concert is a fundraiser for this musical entity in progress (see sbchamberplayers.org).