Untitled Document

Julia Sakharova (violin), Louis Menendez (piano). Strauss: Sonata for Violin & Piano in E-Flat Major, Op. 18; Sean Hickey: Ampersand for Violin & Piano; J.S. Bach: Ciaconna for Solo Violin; Tchaikovsky: Meditation; Saint-Saens: Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso. Steinway Hall, New York, NY

It was a typical evening on New York City's 57th Street: cold, windy and miserable. All the things the weather very well should be upon the eve of the Spring Equinox. Brave commuters battled the bitter cold on foot, slowly making their way home as they sneered disdainfully at the horn-honking, siren-wailing symphonic overture, which usually marks the beginning of "Post-Rush-Hour" hour in New York City.

But for the lucky music-lovers who packed the grand atrium at Steinway Hall, all hope was not lost. Safe from the bitter gusts, shielded beneath the brawn of massive Doric columns, and protected by a dome of frescoed deities, audience members chatted amongst themselves as they awaited the spiritual arrival of some old friends - Richard Strauss, J.S. Bach, Peter Tchaikovsky, and Camille Saint-Saens.

Violinist Julia Sakharova and pianist Louis Menendez emerged to host this musical revival - an experience, which yielded several spectacular moments of jaw-dropping virtuosity. Twenty-five year-old Sakharova, winner of the Olga Koussevitsky Young Artists Award, arrived on stage clad in a mauve velvet gown, her auburn hair pulled softly into a traditional style, which appeared to be a throwback to the en vogue elegance of 1940s iconic fashion.

Sakharova quickly proved herself an intelligent musician, whose solid technical facility remained second only to the astounding maturity of her interpretations. The Strauss E-Flat Violin Sonata is indeed a rare work, which holds supreme rein over listeners in its intensity and power from first note to last. Some young players tend to hold back at the climactic moments of overwhelming musical textures, possibly for fear of appearing too "self-indulgent" in the eyes of their audiences. Sakharova, however, gave her all to the moments she deemed worthy of such attention; a judicious application of the unbridled passion, which seemed inherent to her personality.

The violinist's rendition of J.S. Bach's Ciaconna was positively a pearl. Clean sound, subtle vibrato, and tasteful ornamentation bolstered the consensus that Sakharova was not only a beautifully polished talent, but also a very versatile one. She was completely at home in Tchaikovsky's Meditation, pleased to display an innate connection to her native Slavic music. And, shifting gears to conclude the program with Saint-Saen's Rondo Capriccioso, audience members swayed to a colorful performance that took them on an imaginary journey from the fiery dances of a gypsy celebration to an afternoon of sipping martinis on the Riviera. Pianist Louis Menendez matched the violinist's breakneck tempo accordingly, and it was all fireworks through to the end.

Sakharova's traditional program could have been considered almost too traditional, had it not been for a brilliant move on her part. The performer's New York recital debut may have served as a wonderful séance to channel many time-honored repertoire staples, but it was also a christening ceremony, of sorts, for a world-premiere from award-winning composer, Sean Hickey. Ampersand for violin and piano was specially commissioned for this event, and was appropriately dedicated to Julia Sakharova.

Ampersand opens with a simple five-note violin solo; an edgy motive, which broadens into a platform for the introduction of several subsequent themes. Imbued with many stylistic elements of Slavic music, the piece seemed a perfect fit for Sakharova, who reveled as much in enjoying blazing folk rhythms as she appreciated the understated qualities of quiet, lyrical lines. Throughout the piece, Sakharova played around with many variants of color, but her full-bodied tone remained a constant shade of beauty. Ampersand is a wonderful work, which will undoubtedly, in time, prove to be a valuable addition to the violin repertoire.

Sean Hickey is a relatively new composer, whose career is steadily on the rise. He garnered large-scale attention in 2005 when Naxos American Classics released "Left at the Fork in the Road," a compilation of the young writer's works. It is possible that Hickey may have conceived "Ampersand" while under the influence of the kind of folk writing popularized in the early twentieth century by Igor Stravinsky.

And herein lies the constant danger of assessing new works from contemporary composers. Even when a bias may be defended as a mere "point of reference," it becomes nearly impossible to isolate an artistic gesture in the present without acknowledging its historical backdrop. That being said, there is still a very distinctive freshness about Hickey's style, and his track record of fine compositions provides more than enough evidence to suggest that the young composer is rightfully earning a place amongst the finest of his generation.