The Grahamstown Music Society presented a superb concert on 21 April given by Alexander Ramm, cello and Pieter Jacobs, piano.
The Grahamstown Music Society presented a superb concert on 21 April given by Alexander Ramm, cello and Pieter Jacobs, piano.
Born in Vladivostok in 1988, Alexander Ramm started his musical education at the age of seven. At nine, he made his début as a soloist and, after moving to Moscow, he studied at the Chopin Moscow College of Music. He has won a host of international prizes and has performed many solo works, duos and as a soloist with leading orchestras worldwide.
Pieter Jacobs is well known in South African musical circles and has performed with various distinguished visiting and overseas artists. After obtaining his first degrees in this country, he studied on a Fulbright Scholarship at Yale University’s School of Music where he earned his doctorate. He holds a second Doctorate in electronic engineering and lectures in the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering at Pretoria University.
The four composers on this programme – Grieg, Barber, Prokofiev and Piazzola – understood the capabilities of the cello and wrote using all aspects of the timbre and tone quality that the instrument can give.
Plus, these two performers are outstanding both technically and musically.
The first item was the Prokofiev's Cello sonata, Op 119 (1949) which opens with a solo cello in a dark sombre mood played robustly and soon followed by a most tender melody which is thrown between the instruments in various guises. This pianissimo melody was performed exquisitely. Every movement contained compositional techniques for the cello which the cellist performed to perfection.
Barber's Cello sonata, Op 6 in C minor (1932) swings from dark to light throughout the work. Also using every aspect of cello technique and requiring great rapport between the two instruments, this piece also contains unbelievably difficult passages for both instruments which showed again the performer's great technical ability and musicality.
The Grieg Cello Sonata Op 36 in A minor (1883) has a passionate opening followed by lyrical melodies that were shared between the piano and cello, it's a well-known and well-loved work which was, no doubt, familiar to the audience. There are smatterings of folk tunes in the work which lighten the mood and the second movement could only come from Norway, summoning up as it does images of the fjords, snow and ice.
Astor Piazzola's Le Grand Tango for cello and piano was the most modern work in the programme. The programme notes tell us that, when he studied in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, she encouraged Piazzola to explore the tango as a musical form. This exciting work played with such verve also included jazz riffs which were finely executed. The piece, full of energetic and lyrical qualities magnificently played by the artists, ended the concert.
Alexander Ramm then treated the audience to a wonderful encore – 'Alemande' by Cassado – after which the enthusiastic crowd gave him a standing ovation.
All those who missed this concert will be the poorer for it, as it was one of the most outstanding concerts I have ever heard.
