The recent concert held by Chamber Music Northwest (CMNW) on October 5 at The Old Church, featuring current and former directors Gloria Chien, Soovin Kim, and David Shifrin, delivered a thought-provoking evening that highlighted the evolution of classical music. Rather than offering a simple listening experience, the program underscored the various influences shaping today’s musical landscape.
The evening’s repertoire, ranging from Brahms to Bartók, included elements of ragtime, tango, blues, and jazz interwoven through four classical masterpieces. Notably, aside from Brahms’ clarinet sonata, the remaining works were composed in the 20th century, showcasing how their creators boldly integrated popular music into their compositions. This trend continues to inspire many contemporary composers, many of whom draw from the legacies of early 20th-century icons like Béla Bartók, Igor Stravinsky, and Maurice Ravel.
The concert featured CMNW co-artistic directors Soovin Kim (violin) and his wife Gloria Chien (piano), alongside former artistic director David Shifrin (clarinet), performing pieces that transitioned from the late Romantic era of Brahms to Bartók’s mid-20th-century works. The program included Stravinsky’s 1918 Suite from L’Histoire du Soldat and Ravel’s 17-minute Violin Sonata No. 2, composed over four years from 1923 to 1927.
The performance captivated the audience, with all but Stravinsky’s suite eliciting standing ovations. Gloria Chien, a remarkably skilled and intuitive pianist, guided the concert’s 74-minute duration with seamless fluidity, allowing the primary instruments to shine while keeping the music flowing beautifully. Even if she missed a beat, one could hardly notice. Each musician brought a wealth of experience to the stage, having performed these classics for years, and their enjoyment of playing together was evident.
The concert opened with Brahms’ Clarinet Sonata No. 2 in E Flat Major, Op. 120, No. 2, written in 1894. This piece, created late in Brahms’ life, was inspired by his collaboration with the clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld. Brahms was so impressed by Mühlfeld that he emerged from retirement to compose works for him. The 22-minute sonata was lyrical and optimistic, marked by the playful exchanges and smiles shared between Chien and Shifrin as they navigated the movements.
Following Brahms, Stravinsky’s Suite from L’Histoire du Soldat incorporated elements of tango, blues, and ragtime, reflecting the composer’s forward-thinking style. The piece, written in 1918, exemplified Stravinsky’s innovative approach to music.
The highlight of the evening was Ravel’s Violin Sonata No. 2, which resonated deeply with the audience. Despite taking four years to compose, the second movement, titled “Blues,” stood out, showcasing the vibrant jazz influences of the 1920s. Kim and Chien delivered a performance that epitomized their harmonious partnership, as noted in the program by Elizabeth Schwartz: “Ravel’s genius lies in creating music that is both spare, even austere, and simultaneously, startlingly, expressive.”
The final piece, Bartók’s Contrasts for Clarinet and Piano, Sz. 111, was an exhilarating conclusion to the concert. Known as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century, Bartók’s work reflects his dedication to preserving folk music and infusing it into his unique musical language. Soovin Kim, a dedicated Bartók enthusiast, described the composer as “the Beethoven of the 20th century,” emphasizing the rhythmic energy, inventive orchestration, and intricate structures he built upon simple motifs. Such complexity often made Bartók’s music challenging to perform, a sentiment echoed by many musicians until more recent times.
Bartók’s three-movement Contrasts required Shifrin to switch between two clarinets (the A clarinet in the first two movements and the B-flat clarinet in most of the third). Additionally, Kim played two different violins tuned to distinct intervals, ensuring that the violinist was not overshadowed during the clarinetist’s transitions.
The piece was commissioned by the renowned American jazz clarinetist Benny Goodman, a significant figure in Shifrin’s early musical development. Goodman had performed and recorded the work with Bartók and the Hungarian violinist Joseph Szigeti, who facilitated the commission during a visit to the United States. The trio of Shifrin, Kim, and Chien, all masterfully commanding their instruments, delivered a rendition that would undoubtedly have satisfied Bartók, Szigeti, and Goodman alike.
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