Concert Review: Mutter in San Francisco, 03/26/17

Pianist Lambert Orkis and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter have given recitals since 1998. After that amount of time, I would think that musicians may be able to anticipate each other’s sensitive nuances, which make music interpretations so great.

As soon as the first few notes were played, it was totally clear that Ms. Mutter and Mr. Orkis are still world-class interpreters. I had seen them last in 2006 in a series of three concerts at Carnegie Hall, and 10 years later they are still phenomenal!

Ms. Mutter can produce velvety sounds that are really pianissimo! And they both know really well how to let the other person shine through with the melody at the appropriate time.

The program began with a contemporary work by Sebastian Currier called “Clockwork”. I liked this piece a lot. The three movements are connected by a theme titled “Lifeless”.

The second selection was Mozart’s amazing Sonata in A-Major, K 526. This work was composed 4 years before Mozart died, and the slow second movement was astoundingly beautiful.

Ottorino Respighi’s B-minor Sonata and Saint – Saens’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso concluded the announced program. Three encores followed, and the evening eneded with a well-deserved standing ovation.

There must have been 150 people waiting for the two tired artists to appear outside the hall later to sign CD’s and answer questions posed by the adoring public.

Here are Lambert Orkis and Anne-Sophie Mutter performing the wonderful slow movement of a Mozart Sonata:

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