Not just heaven and angels; Kondonassis delivers it all

The Simple Measures folks were at it again – deconstructing classical music and providing an up close, music making experience – this time they were helped by acclaimed harpist Yolonda Kondonassis.  “High Strung – The Celestial Dimension,” was the final concert of Simple Measure’s 2008/2009 season.  With a name like “The Celestial Dimension” and Kondonassis in town, the focus was on the harp.  However, Kondonassis demonstrated the full range of the harp rather than merely evoke heavenly delights and angels.

The program was made up of pieces Kondonassis has a strong connection to, especially Carlos Salzedo’s “Song in the Night.”  As Kondonassis explained, Salzedo approached the harp differently than other composers.  He experimented with technique and the full capabilities of the instrument.  He sought to bring to light the instrument’s virtuosic potential. Kondonassis has recorded a number of Salzedo’s pieces for the Telarc label over the years.  And, Sunday, she cited Salzedo as a model for how she approaches playing and commissioning new pieces for the instrument.

a-team official trailer

Kondonassis was joined by a handful of other musicians, including the founder and artistic director of Simple Measures Rajan Krishnashswami, for a other pieces including a movement from Toru Takemitsu’s “Toward the Sea,” “The Minstrel’s Canzonet” from Tchaikovsky’s opera “Iolande,” and a movement from Debussy’s sonata for flute, viola, and harp.

The second half featured “Danses Sacres et Profanes” by Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel’s “Introduction and Allegro.”  Kondonassis told the story how these pieces were composed by rival harp companies as a demonstration pieces.  Even though both Debussy and Ravel were the leading French impressionistic voices, these two pieces are distinct from each other.  “Introduction and Allegro” is contoured as a short, ten minute harp concerto with virtuoso writing and a cadenza.  By contrast “Danses Sacres et Profanes” is a more conventional piece for harp that while compelling musically, is short of being a ground breaking virtuosic piece.  Perhaps this trait has helped the piece secure a place as one of the most frequently played concert pieces for the harp?

Kondonassis’s playing was elegant, introspective, and showy when the music demanded. She cast off  glissandos and harmonics with ease, but she also flawlessly demonstrated the harp’s other possibilities including Salzedo’s glissandos with finger nails and what can be done by tapping the sound board.  For Simple Measures, the musicians are always excellent performers –  Krishnashwami attracts some of the region’s best musicians for each concert – but, it is also critical musicians be excellent teachers as well.  Education is at the heart of any Simple Measures concert.  Kondonassis was generous with her explanations, demonstrations, and insights.  This is only speculation, but Kondonassis seemed to like the casual atmosphere of the performances.  As she said “these are the only performances where I can bring my coffee out on stage with me.”

Kondonassis wasn’t the only visiting musician.  Bart Feller, the principal flute for the New Jersey Symphony and New York City Opera, performed on the program too.  He and Kondonassis performed four movements from Vincent Persichetti’s Serenade No.10.  This duo had played the Serenade No.10 back in the late 1980’s.  Feller was a good match for Kondonassis’s superior technique and expressive abilities.

Next season Simple Measures returns for their fifth season, but there are still two more chances to hear this local chamber music project.  There is a May 29th benefit concert for the organization at Town Hall.  Krishnaswami and pianist Mark Salman will play a number of sonatas for cello and piano.  On April 28th, Simple Measures and students from Roosevelt High School, will play a public concert.  The product of Simple Measure’s first educational partnership.

Select Albums By Yolanda Kondonassis

Salzedo’s Harp – Music Of Carlos Salzedo / KondonassisHovhaness: Concerto For Harp, Etc / Kondonassis, Et AlDebussy’s Harp / Yolanda Kondonassis

Later this week, I will be posting a video interview I did with Yolnda Kondonassis.  You can hear her talk about her experiences playing on different harps, including an unfortnuate experience with an instrument that did double duty as a home, and her collaboration with composer Bright Sheng.