2nd Young Artist Series
By Jeannette Fang
Maiori - Salone degli Affreschi, Palazzo Mezzacapo
July 20, 2014
Four wonderful young artists were featured Sunday evening under the colorful dome of Maiori's Town Hall. Phoebe Wu began the program with a sparkling Bach partita no.1. She had a natural sense of the style, and played with sincerity and expressivity. She captured the emotional intent behind Janacek's first piano sonata, playing with great outpour and fervor.
The next to take the stage was Elizabeth Crecca, with an excellently conceived and characterized Haydn E-flat Major Hob.XVI:52. She embodied the majesty of the opening with ease, and had a beautiful tone throughout. Her Bartok Out of Doors was rhythmic and raucous in all the right places.
Gregory Ridgeway was the next to play, with the Meditation and Romance of Medtner's Forgotten Melodies op.39. He had a good feeling for shape and and song, paying attention to the variety of colors without losing the vocality of the melodies. He followed performed the Prelude, Allemande, and Sarabande of the Bach English Suite no.2 with assurance and brio.
The last to perform was violinist Charlotte Crosmer, with Ravel's 2nd Sonata, with Jeannette Fang on piano. Ms. Crosmer had a beautiful tone, and she captured the breadth and easy flow of the opening. Particularly well done was her Blues movement, which had a sense of improvisation in how she treated the sultry melodies and licks.
The evening was full of excellent performances, and judging by the shining faces of all four participants, it was also a special one for all involved.
