Holy City Series finale leaves fan anxiously waiting for next season
Loretta Haskell
Post and Courier Reviewer
Monday, April 14, 2008
The season finale for Chamber Music Charleston's Holy City Series was
a satisfying end to a successful season and left the audience
anticipating the newly announced upcoming season.
Set inside St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, music lovers listened to
full performances of Jean Francaix's 'Divertissement for Bassoon and
String Quintet' and Antonin Dvorak's 'String Quintet in G Major, Op.
77.'
The Francaix 'Divertissement' featured Chamber Music Charleston
director and founder Sandra Nikolajevs on bassoon. It is rare to hear
the bassoon featured as a solo instrument, and the Francaix was a witty
and captivating treat.
Written in 1947, it featured four contrasting movements, each one
leaving the audience grinning and anticipating the next novelty.
As Nikolajevs explained beforehand, Francaix uses the bassoon as a
foil for the rest of the composition, and the audience laughed and
applauded enthusiastically after the final movement.
Dvorak's 'Quintet' was the more serious and expansive selection, an
excellent choice to fill out the program.
The four-movement work was finalized in 1888 and expressed Dvorak's
love for Czech folk music.
Especially moving was the passing of themes among the musicians in
the third movement.
While the Francaix was witty and whimsical, the Dvorak was
contemplative.
The concert will be repeated tonight in the Kiawah Island House
Concert Series.
The blend of high artistic standards, beautiful settings and intimate
venues makes this series a must for anyone interested in serious music.
Tickets are now available for the upcoming 2008-2009 season, and a
few remain for the 2007-2008 Charleston House Concerts.
Consult the Web site at
www.ChamberMusicCharleston.org for more information.