Anne Waller of Northwestern University and Mark Maxwell of DePaul have been touring the western world for over twenty-five years. Needless to say, they have had plenty of years together, in the practice and recital halls of the finest universities and music foundations.
It was both a pleasure and an honor for the NEIU Music Department to host their performance on Thursday, Mar. 12. This is especially true since our own faculty guitar instructor Brian Torosian studied under Maxwell and had the opportunity to join them on stage.
They began the recital with five short Elizabethan Lute duos. An anonymously penned ballad called “La Rossignol” was short and sweet, a truly gorgeous tune. There were several dance pieces as well, but the jewel was Thomas Robinson’s “A Plaine Song.” A very lovely song, melodic and reflective, they played it with intuitive depth.
Soon Torosian joined them for a rendition of Filipo Gragnani’s Trio for Three Guitars, Op. 12. All of the early pieces were played on beautiful period instruments, and as an introduction to the piece they proudly displayed their guitars, explaining their histories. Gragnani’s piece is all about filigree and ornamentation, which is your classic baroque sound; with room for the performer’s own improvisations in the second movement.
The Allegro’s performance saw a missed note or two, but it was played with a warm and rich fullness that did justice to the composer. Then the Tema con variazoni was performed with subtlety executed and wisely crafted improvisations by all. Finally came a Minuetto, with a brisk, soft and complex structure that required careful delicacy in the playing. It is not an easy thing to coordinate three guitars in such a work, yet these guitarists pulled it off with extremely smooth and well-practiced form. It was a joy to hear this piece again; so familiar and warming were its melodies.
Before the intermission, the Waller and Maxwell Duo tried to tackle Fernando Sor’s Fantasie, Op.54 bis. I had mixed feelings about the performance, as I thought they got off to somewhat of an uneasy start. There were a couple more mistakes from Mr. Maxwell, less avoidable to the ear within the context of the composition’s tight structure than were his earlier mishaps. Moreover, Ms. Waller couldn’t quite handle the dramatic ascending runs that were such an important aspect of the latter part of the first movement.
As Sor’s Fantasie progressed, their playing seemed dry and cold for a while, lacking the passionate, vivacious Spanish air that Sor had written into the work. Yet by the third, an Allegro called Danse le genre Espagnol, the playing finally warmed up to the task and their years of working together finally salvaged the performance.
Maybe what they needed was a bit of rest, because their playing did not falter after the intermission. A series of short tonal ‘polymetric’ studies by contemporary composer Dusan Bogdanovic were interesting and very well executed. “Reversible Cowboy,” with its horse canter rhythm was jaunty and cool, a very jazzy little piece. “Hommage a F. Mompou” was melancholy, with a quirky depth to it. The rest were not as interesting, and they were all too short to be extraordinarily impressive to those who don’t actually play the guitar. One would just get a taste of the piece when it would suddenly end, which was very frustrating to sit through.
Joaquin Rodrigo’s classic Tonadilla was the best played of all their chosen works, and ultimately the most satisfying. This was especially apparent in the second movement, with its proud and rich themes. There is such perfection of composition in Rodrigo’s piece. So contemplative, like staring at ripples on a pond, with that slow Spanish rhythmic style that gradually morphs into a Flamenco dance, then back to the main theme. I had heard this composition many times on a CD, yet closing my eyes and listening to it performed live truly took my breath away.
The third movement, performed in Vivace, is by all accounts extremely difficult to play. Waller and Maxwell were nearly perfect in their attempt, and their enthusiasm for Rodrigo really showed. With that prickly, strident theme that gives way to an undulating, almost liquid reprise, it was all superbly played in rich tones and ease of transition.
They finished the piece to resounding applause, and then came back for an encore with the “Ritual Fire Dance,” Manuel by De Falla. A spunky, feisty piece, they devoured it with skill and passion. By the final notes they had found a perfect harmony and balance with one another. A second, even louder round applause was well deserved. Another good night of good chamber music at the recital hall was enjoyed by all.