LF 26: Schubert Music for Violin & Piano II
Holy Trinity Church Haddington 11/9/26
Maria Milstein (violin), Nathalia Milstein (piano)
The Milstein sisters, violinist Maria and pianist Nathalia returned to Haddington’s Holy Trinity Church on the forenoon of 11th September to conclude their survey of Schubert’s music for violin and piano in this year’s Lammermuir Festival. Two early sonatas, dubbed ‘sonatinas’ by Schubert’s publisher in a ploy to increase sales to amateurs, D384 in D major and D385 in A minor, preceded the later and beefier Fantasy in C major D934. For the second concert, it was Nathalia who introduced the programme.
The Sonatina No.1 in D major is the most Mozartian of the three sonatinas, especially obvious in the lovely lyrical subject that opens and the short focussed development. The second theme is more declamatory and adventurous, though still Schubert at his most genial. The Andante is in the character of a gracious allemande, with Haydnesque charm, but its minor key central section has a melancholia more readily associated with Schubert’s later Lieder, and it was played with great depth of feeling. Schubert as cheerful tunesmith resurfaced in the delightful 6/8 rondo finale. Smiles all round? Yes, but. When the performers made to retire between pieces, they were stymied by the door to the side of the altar. Whether the door was locked or just stiff was unclear, but the issue recurred until the end of the programme, when a Festival volunteer came to their aid. Very strange.
The 4-movement Sonatina No.2 in A minor is the longest of the three sonatinas and it inhabits a world of more emotional depth and complexity. The piano opened pensively. The violin’s entry was angry and troubled. The second theme was Schubert’s trademark “pathos in a major key”. The end of the exposition was mysterious. The development was dramatic and turbulent. The coda was quiescent but devoid of solace. The Andante, solemn and dignified at first, moved in 3 with short phrases in the major key. The central section shifted to quavers and semiquavers, freer and less strait-laced and rather more adventurous with key exploration and harmonically, before returning to its “best behaviour”. The stormy minuet and its quirky Trio seemed to nod to those in Haydn’s quartets. The rondo finale started with a tentative major phrase that finished in the minor, setting up an anxious duality that formed the core of the ensuing drama. The obsessing over repeated short figures that was to resurface in the ‘Great’ C Major Symphony No.9 was in evidence. An emphatic minor cadence decided the outcome of the turmoil. Schubert flexing his creative muscles was great to experience, but the real thrill was seeing it realised by two artists who clearly love this music and relish the opportunity to communicate that to an appreciative audience.
Like the ‘Rondo Brillant’ we had heard the previous day, the Fantasy was also a first hearing for me and as virtuosically demanding for both players as the Rondo had been. In 4 sections without a break, lasting about 25 minutes, it is a pretty substantial work. The first section featured the violin soaring over rippling piano with an ethereal, meditative lyricism, which was quite magical. The violin singing sonorously low under ornately tinkling piano provided a contrasting (but no less delicious) timbre to savour in a central interlude. The second section was a polka-like dance, canonical in the minor at first, then gleeful, carefree and extremely virtuosic for both players, a clever transition back to the minor for a repeat seeming to wink at the audience. A stormy and powerful departure in the minor, virtuosic for both, concluded with a piano cadenza, leading to the extended third section. This was a theme and variations. The song-like theme reminded me of the impromptus. The 4 variations were musically quite ingenious and not mere bravura showpieces, though all demanded phenomenal technical mastery from both players. A violin cadenza was followed by a reprise of the opening texture of the piece, which built as a transition to the fourth section, a Hungarian dance with slower and faster sections and reprises of earlier material worked into the themes and no let up in the technical demands. The coda was a proper Hungarian knees-up. What a piece! It received a persuasive and engaging performance. Full marks from me. Enthusiastic applause from the audience,
The sweet encore was a violin and piano arrangement of Schubert’s ‘Ave Maria’. Gorgeous,
Weblink: https://www.lammermuirfestival.co.uk/event/coffee-concert-schubert-music-for-violin-and-piano-ii/