By Lyn Bronson
Tatiana Goncharova, Grigory Kalinovsky & Igor Begelman
Chamber Music Monterey Bay has consistently brought us chamber music of the highest order, and last night’s performance by TAGI (rhymes with “dodgy”) was no exception. Here were four splendid musicians, Igor Begelman – clarinet, Grigory Kalinovsky – violin, Sophie Shao – cello and Tatiana Goncharova – piano,appearing together on the Monterey Peninsula for the first time and making a powerful impression in the process.
Hearing a performance of the Brahms Trio for Piano, Clarinet and Cello in A Minor, Op. 114, is always a moving experience, for this work evokes strong feelings of autumnal nostalgia characteristic of Brahm’s later years and stirs deeply felt emotions that still reach across and touch us today. What we heard last night from pianist Goncharova, clarinetist Begelman and cellist Shao was solid musicianly playing that had additional qualities of individual expressiveness combined with superb ensemble playing. It was a winner all around! The heartfelt emotions of the slower movements were matched by the turbulent first movement and the extraordinarily exciting final Allegro. The impressive mastery of the three musicians was seemingly effortless and totally natural. No effect was forced. No expression was exaggerated.
