Everyone knows who Itzhak Perlman is, especially if you’re old enough to remember his introduction to American audiences in three appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show”—two in 1958 when he was just 13 years old and one in 1964, when he shared billing with the Rolling Stones!
Since then, he has become one of the most revered musicians in the world, earning numerous elite honors. And his “friends” are no slouches either. On Nov. 6, Perlman appeared with world-renowned pianists Emanuel Ax and first-ever Artist-in-Residence at the Colburn School Jean-Yves Thibaudet, as well as the Juilliard String Quartet, in a Colburn Celebrity Recital titled Itzhak Perlman and Friends.
The program included the Sonata for Two Violins in E minor, Op. 3, No. 5 by French Baroque composer Jean-Marie Leclair, the Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat major, K. 493 by Mozart, and the Concert for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet in D major, Op. 21 by another French composer, Ernest Chausson.
The constant factor in the performance of all three piece was, of course, Perlman. He was joined by violinist Areta Zhulla for the Leclair; by Ax, violist Molly Carr and cellist Astrid Schween for the Mozart; and by Thibaudet and the entire Juilliard Quartet (including violinist Ronald Copes) for the Chausson. So, there was a lot of shuffling between pieces.
There was a clear camaraderie among the musicians, who constantly checked with each other during each performance. It must have been a thrill for the much younger Juilliard String Quartet players to perform with such esteemed musicians, especially the legendary Perlman.
And the music was glorious.
The Leclair sonata is a challenging piece that requires a high level of technical skill; and Perlman and Zhulla played perfectly in sync, especially in the speedy finale.
The Mozart quartet is rich with melodies and, well, quintessentially Mozartian in its perfection. The score requires a very adept pianist as the piano has a prominent role throughout. And who better than Ax to deliver that. His playing sparkled, and the musicians delivered an inspiring performance.
The second half consisted of one work by Chausson. In the Concert, Chausson, who was a follower and protégé of another French composer, César Franck, lets out all the stops with a rich, and at times dense, score in which the quartet acts as the orchestra for the violin and piano soloists. But the overall effect is one of an older form—the concerto grosso. The very demanding piano part was perfect for Thibaudet, who was a commanding presence at the keyboard with hands and fingers flying all over. The solo violin part, on the other hand, consisted largely of smooth flowing lines and very little rapid passages. But, of course, Perlman is also a master of playing beautiful flowing lines. And the Juilliard String Quartet provided the perfect accompaniment.
The audience knew they were witnessing something special, and as the musicians left the stage after each piece, the clapping and cheers grew louder until it was just Perlman, who was the last to leave.
If there was a downside, it is that because Perlman has to play seated on the scooter he uses (he was diagnosed with Polio at the age of four and has had to use leg braces and, more recently, an electric scooter to get around), his back was to the section where I was seated, so the sound from his violin was not as loud and clear as I’m sure it was in other parts of Disney Hall. Still, I could tell that at age 79 he has lost none of his skill. His playing seems effortless, which is not surprising as he has been doing this for more than 70 years!
—Henry Schlinger, Culture Spot LA
For information about upcoming concerts at Disney Hall, visit www.laphil.com.
Photo credit: Photos of Itzhak Perlman, Emanuel Ax, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Juilliard String Quartet courtesy of the LA Phil