Online Classical Music Journal
October 2003
GSO and Malina: A Musical Family Reunion
by William Thomas Walker
It would be difficult to imagine a program better suited to display the depth of musicianship in the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra than the one selected by Stuart Malina for his "homecoming" concert in War Memorial Auditorium, heard February 21. Having been Music Director for seven years, ending in 2003, he enjoys a special chemistry with the orchestra and its audience that results in spontaneous rapport with both. He deserves credit for the high quality of musicianship he cultivates, making the GSO ready for what both he and his successor, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, call "the next level."
Mozart gives no cover for imperfections and none were readily apparent in a straightforward reading of the Overture to The Magic Flute. The opening chords were immaculate.
Flutists badly need additional repertory beyond Mozart's three concerted works and Bach's Orchestral Suite, No 2 but too few other pieces have really struck it with the general public. Best known for his "Concierto de Aranjuez" and "Fantasia para un gentilhombre," both for guitar and orchestra, the blind composer Joaquín Rodrigo left a large if uneven body of works in concerto form. We are thrilled to report that "Concierto pastoral," commissioned in 1978 by James Galway, is a real winner. Justly described by Malina as one of the most difficult works in the repertory, it is scored for flute with an orchestra of oboe, clarinet, trumpet, horn, and strings, giving it rich tonal variety without weight. Indeed, much of the time, the strings play delicate and quiet pizzicatos. Principal Flutist Debra Reuter-Pivetta was phenomenal in her flawless execution of the extended and rapid flurry of notes heard at the outset. What breath control and agility! Cara Fish's oboe announced the rustic-sounding second theme. Robert Campbell's horn added to the sylvan mood before a return to the virtuosity of the opening display. The large adagio has a split personality. Beginning slow and melancholy, the flute's opening theme is echoed by the oboe. In complete contrast, a perky little tune is taken up by each instrument, in turn, before it manages to appear in several keys at once. The flute intervenes with a second pastoral theme and then launches into a showy cadenza before returning to the original sad theme. A lively rondo provides a brilliant finish.
Keeping it very much a family affair, Richard Strauss' Don Quixote featured principals Beth Vanderborgh, cello, and Scott Rawls, viola, as the protagonists Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. The absence of an oversized "star" cellist paid dividends in a performance full of chamber-like give-and-take involving a plethora of section principals. With good intonation, projection, and warm tone, Vanderborgh slipped easily between the roles of soloist and section leader. Attentive listening and, in the hall's uneven acoustics, precise counting contributed to fine dialogues between the soloists and various woodwinds, brass, and Concertmaster John Fadial. In live performances, we have never heard a finer, richer, or more burnished tone than Rawls brought to his depiction of the knight's squire.
Classical Voice of North Carolina
Online Classical Music Journal
October 2003
Winning Liebermann Flute Concerto: Reuter-Pivetta and the Winston-Salem Symphony
by William Thomas Walker
Flute soloists have a hard row to hoe: there's a sparse supply of flute concertos and only a very few of those can hold the average listener's attention. The three concertos of Mozart and the Nielsen are about it unless you can stomach the flute transcription of the Khachaturian Violin Concerto. The centerpiece of the October 12 matinee concert of the Winston-Salem Symphony in Stevens Center was the brilliant 1992 Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, Op. 39, of Lowell Liebermann. James Galway wanted the composer to orchestrate his popular Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 23 (1987) but he demurred, offering to compose a new concerto instead. Kudos to both! Too seldom do commissioned new works deserve to survive beyond their debuts, and this one is a real winner. Even the orchestration is imaginative and not just a background for a lovely flute part. Debra Reuter-Pivetta was the superb soloist, presenting a striking stage presence and bringing considerable flair to her part. Very subtle pizzicato strings and a muted trumpet serve as a brief prelude to the warmly melodic flute. Each string section takes up the flute's melody in turn. There are rapid passages for the flute and inventive scoring for woodwinds and horns. The jazzy writing for trumpets, often muted, was memorable, as were dialogues between the soloist and the clarinet and other woodwinds. The composer described the first movement's components as "variations on the harmonic progression of its principal theme (with) the central section... a set of explicit chaconne variations on a chorale version of this progression." After the Moderato first movement, the viola section, alone, strikingly supports the flute in the opening of the Adagio. The composer says "this lyrical (flute) melody... is spun out over a pulsating syncopated ostinato which persists (throughout)." The full strings take up the melody, and there is a brief violin solo, played on this occasion by Concertmistress Corine Brouwer. In describing the last movement, Presto, as "a virtuoso work-out" for the soloist, the composer verged upon understatement. Reuter-Pivetta displayed incredible breath control and agility, and the scoring for the orchestra, with unexpected solo combinations such as piano and trumpet, soloist and piccolo, and bassoon and contrabassoon, was piquant. Music Director Peter Perret kept the complex orchestral part together and meshed perfectly with the soloist.
The encore piece was a wonder to hear and to see. "Lookout" by Robert Dick was written as a high school competition piece and uses typical fare of teenagers: rock'n'roll and aspects of rock bands. Reuter-Pivetta used the keys alone to mimic percussion, sang into the mouthpiece, and utilized multiphonics, to name but a few of the unexpected techniques.
Currently a resident of Winston-Salem and Principal Flute of the Greensboro Symphony, Reuter-Pivetta was a student of Philip Dunigan at the N.C. School of the Arts. After a spell as second flute in the Winston-Salem Symphony, she went on to establish a successful international soloist career while teaching at Salem College and Guilford College. Her fine first CD was on sale in the lobby and did brisk business at intermission.
Alert and vital standard interpretations of Prokofiev's "Classical" Symphony and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 sandwiched the Liebermann and proved to be ideal companions. Orchestral balances in both were excellent as were rhythmic pulse and phrasing. The Principal Clarinet on this occasion was Christopher Grymes. Mark Popkin led the fine bassoon and contrabassoon section. The brass were unusually subtle, the horns gloriously brilliant without covering the orchestra and much of the trumpet playing was restrained. Perret acknowledged the many fine soloists whose superb musicianship made both symphonies so delightful.
Online Classical Music Journal
May 2009
Salisbury Symphony Pops Concert
by W. Gerald Cochran
May 2, 2009, Salisbury, NC: The Salisbury Symphony, under the direction of David Hagy, had a winner with its pops concert on Derby Day. Paying homage to the Kentucky Derby, the concert was replete with references to horses.
Opening the program was the Overture to Donna Diana, an opera by Emil Nikolaus von Rezniček (1860-1945). While Rezniček composed many operas and other works, he is best known today for this overture. Of course, most of us past a certain age recognize it as the theme song to the radio and TV show "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon." With a lively and spirited performance by the orchestra, we were, as they say, "Off and away!"
To pay due respect to the Derby's home state, the orchestra played a lovely rendition of Stephen Foster's (1826-1864) "My Old Kentucky Home," in an arrangement, written less than a week ago, by David Hagy.
As further fodder for racing fans, the orchestra performed Seattle Slew by William Bolcom (born 1938). Mr. Bolcom is an American composer and pianist, who received a Pulitzer Prize, the National Medal of Arts, and two Grammy Awards. Seattle Slew was, of course, the winner of racing's Triple Crown in 1977. The opening movement, "Horse Overture" is a galloping romp, and very "horsey." The following three movements, dedicated to the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont, respectively, were all very jazzy and spirited, and the orchestra gave a very sprightly performance.
The main event of the evening, although not horse related, was the Concerto for Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Piano Trio by Claude Bolling (born 1930). Bolling is a French jazz pianist, composer and arranger, and has composed a number of suites for jazz piano trio with soloist. These have included the likes of Jean-Pierre Rampal on flute, Yo-Yo Ma on cello, Maurice André and Guy Pederson on trumpet, just to name a few.
The jazz trio for this performance featured Federico Pivetta on piano, Matt Kendrick on bass, and Jakubu Griffin on drums. All three live in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, but have played together as a trio only once before. The concerto itself, at least the chamber orchestra part, is very baroque except for the rhythms. The work is in six movements, and in each, the jazz trio and orchestra toss themes back and forth, each with solos, and come together for some grand and lively tuttis.
This is a wonderfully exciting piece, with great feeling and texture in some of its movements, and energetic and vivacious jazz in others, all overlying the subtlety of the Bach-like themes. Matt Kendrick's bass playing was rapid-fire and secure, setting the foundation for the trio. Jakubu Griffin's percussion playing set the tempos, and was understated and delicate, although he did get to cut loose in one section, to everyone's delight. Mr. Pivetta's pianism was elegant and stylish. Of course, the chamber orchestra's playing was right on and "Oh, so fine!"
Bringing the concert to a rousing conclusion was the finale from "The William Tell Overture" by Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868). Little need be said about this piece, as we all know it as the theme to "The Lone Ranger." "Hi-yo, Silver!" and we were off to the races.
Winston-Salem Journal
Winston-Salem, NC
Monday, October 13, 2003
SPINE-TINGLING: Flutist's performance powerful, with an edge
By Ken Keuffel
Many flutists who studied with Philip Dunigan at the N.C. School of the Arts have gone on to great things. The latest evidence of that emerged yesterday when Debra Reuter-Pivetta soloed with the Winston-Salem Symphony in Lowell Liebermann's Concerto for Flute and Orchestra.
The performance, conducted by Peter Perret, was brilliant in every way. And the concerto, which virtuoso James Galway premiered in 1992, has lots of fetching assets to recommend it. Patrons who weren't in the Stevens Center yesterday should make it their business to attend Tuesday's performance.
If they do, they will also hear a decent performance of Prokofiev's 'Classical' Symphony, a remarkable effort written during the composer's student days. They will hear a spirited, often moving account of Beethoven's Symphony No. 4.
Perret calls this somewhat overshadowed work his favorite Beethoven symphony because of a second movement in which an insistent two-note figure mimics the sound of a heartbeat and fuels material that sounds both sublime and rowdy at the same time.
Reuter-Pivetta has made Winston-Salem her base of operations, teaching in local schools and playing principal flute in the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. She has become a world-class performer of new, contemporary or rarely heard chamber works, often teaming up with her husband, pianist Federico Pivetta, in the process.
Reuter-Pivetta's tone combines fullness and warmth with just the right amount of edge. It is a spine-tingling delight, and she's able to project it powerfully to the farthest reaches of the hall.
Her technique, which was displayed in the concerto's scores of fiendishly difficult and note-clogged runs, is dazzling and impeccable. Her phrasing, particularly in the drawn-out and highly lyrical lines of the concerto's second slow movement, gives the term 'musical' a whole new dimension.
Liebermann's concerto, one of several popular works he has written for solo flute, follows tried-and-true compositional procedures. Nothing in its very tonal language breaks new ground in terms of musical sounds, though its skillful orchestrations are flavored with such rare instrumental combinations as a piccolo-contrabassoon duet and muted trumpets flavoring passages for plucked strings.
The music is somewhat derivative. When Prokofiev and Shostakovich don't come to mind, John Williams will, especially during a climactic moment in the opening movement that might well accompany a spaceship soaring triumphantly through extraterrestrial realms.
Cynics might call the concerto accessible and, therefore, unoriginal and unchallenging. The truth: It draws on the past to say something fresh and emotionally profound to today's audiences.
Winston-Salem Journal
Winston-Salem, NC
August 15, 2008
Classic: Gershwin show starts festival in grand fashion
By Ken Keuffel
By George, that's great music -- especially when some of this area's finest players perform it.
The Carolina Chamber Symphony Players presented Gershwin, By George! last night in Gray Auditorium at the Old Salem Visitors Center, starting the Carolina Summer Music Festival in memorable, auspicious fashion.
The program, an intermissionless affair, lasted about 90 minutes. It featured one Gershwin favorite after another, from "Embraceable You" to "Fascinating Rhythm." Martha Bassett sang glowingly, and the band, in equally fine form, consisted of Jacqui Carrasco on violin, Matt Kendrick on double bass, Federico Pivetta on piano, Wally West on saxophone, Ken Wilmot on trumpet and John C.B. Wilson on drums.
With Gershwin, it seems next to impossible to reach the saturation point. But Kendrick, who also served as the night's arranger, wasn't taking any chances that the audience might grow bored. He made sure that each number had a different look and sound, and he did so in a way that brought out the best solo talents of all involved.
Kendrick and company offered a similar program of Cole Porter fare last year. They shouldn't hesitate to celebrate other parts of the Great American Songbook.
The concert set an example that more jazz performers and their audiences should follow. The performance was lightly amplified, enabling us to enjoy even the softest detail, and the audience listened attentively from beginning to end.
Many highlights will remain in my memory for some time. These include West's sultry antidote to Bassett's poignant account of "I've Got a Crush on You." Wilson's extended introduction to "I Got Rhythm" started like a sputtering snare-drum routine and ended on fire. It was also a hoot -- as when he tickled the collective funny bone with his occasional strikes on a Chinese-opera gong, a bronze instrument shaped like a Frisbee.
Pivetta offered an involved, virtuoso account of "Fascinating Rhythm," briskly attacking each note of the main theme with a crisp, almost percussive attack.
Classical Voice of North Carolina
Online Classical Music Journal
May 2009
Mallarmé Closes Out Twenty-Fifth Season
by Jeffrey Rossman
May 3, 2009, Durham, NC: The Mallarmé Chamber Players’ annual gala chose that big state on
the left coast – you know, that weird place where the sun sets on the ocean – as the unifying theme
both musically and gastronomically. All four composers, plus the food and wine enjoyed at the
reception immediately following, has or had some relationship with the state of California. This
unique event took place at the lovely and bucolic Kirby Horton Hall at the entrance to the Sarah P.
Duke Gardens, and we were all fortunate that the threatening skies withheld their wrath 'til all the
music was played and food, drink and camaraderie were enjoyed by all.
Except for perhaps Claude Debussy’s "Syrinx" and an unaccompanied flute sonata by J.S. Bach, it
is rare to see a flutist take center stage all by their lonesome. Debra Reuter-Pivetta, principal flutist
with the Greensboro Symphony, was the only musician playing live, but in fact her performance of
Steve Reich’s "Vermont Counterpoint" for solo flute with CD is scored for solo flute accompanied
by up to nine other pre-recorded flute parts. Written in 1982, the technology had not yet matured to
use real time tape loops that have by now become a standard device. This is an early example of
the minimalist style where brief musical ideas are repeated (some might say ad nauseum). Ms.
Reuter-Pivetta alternated among standard flute, the deep, sexy alto flute, and the ear-piercing
piccolo. She was masterful in this rhythmic tightrope, and the piece was well conceived so it knew
when to say when without subjecting the audience to a hypnotic stupor.
Benjamin Lees, born in 1924, grew up and received most of his musical training in Los Angeles.
He composed "Tapestry," a one-movement work for flute, clarinet, cello and piano, in 2004.
Joining Reuter-Pivetta was clarinetist Michael Cysewski, cellist Fred Raimi and pianist Thomas
Warburton. At times this work seemed more of a concerto for
cello as Mr. Raimi brilliantly tossed off the explosive passages that Lees called for.
Allen Anderson, California native and associate professor of music at UNC Chapel Hill, introduced
his composition for piano trio called "Held in the Weave." This dense and rhythmically complex
work was commissioned by the Institute for the Arts and Humanities at UNC. Fellow UNC faculty
member and violinist Richard Luby joined Raimi and Warburton in a well executed performance of
this harrowing non-stop work with sections named Impetuoso-Cantabile-Vigoroso. My virgin
impression is one of admiration for the compositional skill and complexity, but with little
corresponding regard for the listener – almost a throwback to the academic compositions of the
60s and 70s. This is in direct contrast to the afternoon’s final work.
Currently living in San Franciso, composer Gabriela Lena Frank is an unlikely Jewish-Peruvian-
Chinese ethnic melting pot, and her compositions often portray the difficult melding of folk-based
ideas with sophisticated compositional styles. The seven-movement composition Suenos de
Chambi, (Snapshots for an Andean Album) is a wonderfully evocative adventure for flute/alto flute
and piano that is partly based on photographs by Martin Chambi, several of which were included in
the program. Flutist Reuter-Pivetta was simply magical as she transcended her instrument and
was able to conjure the Andean culture with her flutes. This concert is the first time I have had the
pleasure of hearing her play, and she has brought forth a new standard of flute playing, here and
anywhere else. Despite his generally stoic façade, pianist Warburton, as always, played with
consummate skill, passion and interpretive grace.
With the musical California dreaming portion of the afternoon now completed, we proceeded to the
portico for the wonderful food, and wine from three California wineries. The twenty-fifth year of
Mallarmé, arguably the most creative chamber music organization in the United States, comes to a
close, but we happily anticipate more eclectic events in the next season.
The Alliance Review
Alliance, OH
October 19,2000
Husband and Wife Musicians Make Community Concerts Opener ‘Joy’
By Karen Perone
The opening concert of the Alliance Community Concert Association’s 56th season was a joy for all who attended.
Flutist Debra Reuter-Pivetta and her husband pianist Federico Pivetta performed a program of late Romantic and 20th century compositions for the Alliance audience as the first stop on their tour of 49 Community Concerts venues.
The program began with “Tango Fantasia” by Jacob Gade and Toke Lund Christiansen. The fiery emotions of a tango were evident in the full sound of Reuter-Pivetta’s flute playing. The work was reminiscent of many turn-of-the-century works showing the technical virtuosity of the soloist.
Michael Garson, pianist with the jazz group Free Flight, composed the next work on the program, “Sonata.” The composition incorporated Garson’s jazz and gospel influences in the three-movement work. The moderato and andante movements showed delicate lyrical lines and contrasted with the work’s final movement, which incorporated a perpetual motion style. Pianist and flutist acted as one, showing their excellent ensemble technique through the difficult rhythmic passages.
“Nocturne” by Lili Boulanger (sister of famed music educator Nadia Boulanger) was written in one night while the composer was a student at the Paris Conservatory. This work, along with a selection from Puccini’s “La Bohême,” offered a calming mood through simple elegance.
Otar Taktakishvili may have written the Georgian national anthem, but his name is not one that many will recognize. Flutists are becoming more aware of him through his recently discovered “Sonata.” Written in three movements, it incorporates many Russian dance melodies. The pianist, in the opening allegro cantabile offers a light march-like accompaniment over which the flute line gets to dance. Again in the final allegro scherzando movement, the duo exhibited an extremely tight ensemble as Reuter-Pivetta flew through the technically demanding tongued passages of all registers clearly and cleanly.
The first half ended with “La Ronde des Lutins” by Antonio Bazzini, which was originally composed for violin. The “Dance of the Goblins” is definitely a showcase piece written in gypsy-like style.
Federico Pivetta began the second half of the program with two improvisational arrangements of works by George Gershwin, “Skylark” and “I’ve Got Rhythm.” Pivetta was fascinated by American jazz while growing up in South America and performed these works in contrasting styles with fluidity and rhythmic intensity.
Robert Dick, the composer of “Lookout!”, is known for taking the flute where no one had dared before and has devoted his career to pushing the flute and flute playing to the limits.
With influences from Jimi Hendrix, Dick composed “Lookout!” for the National Flute Association’s high school competition in 1989. It incorporated key clicks for percussive effects, ask the flutist to sing while playing, and uses multiphonics. The latter two techniques allow the solo flute to sound like several flutes. Reuter-Pivetta offered a good explanation of this contemporary work before performing it and it was accepted well by the audience.
The program concluded with a work from British saxophonist Mike Mower, who is better known for his band Itchy Fingers. The “Sonata Latino” also made use of key clicks and added some additional percussion through the use of the “chicken shake” and some tapping on the wood of the piano.
As an encore, the duo offered a lively Venezuelan composition entitled “El Diablo Suelto.”
L’Amico del Popolo
Belluno, Italy
September 16, 2000
An original concert, highly technical but very enjoyable
by Roberto Ghedini
This was, without any doubt, one of the best concerts ever organized by the association “G.B. Maffioletti”. The enthusiasm was palpable in the air a few Sundays ago when flutist Debra L. Reuter-Pivetta and her husband pianist (originally from Feltre BL), enlightened us with a great performance of chamber music; obviously with great virtuosity, technical ability and a deep interpretational understanding. There was no lack of family, friends and even some members of the group lead by Pio Sagrillo, but...what happened to the rest of the people??
In addition, the couple provided a repertoire written by composers not very well known in Italy and with some delightful hints of popular music, which the public deeply appreciated: I should mention the “Tango Fantasia” by Jacob Gade/Toke Lund Christiansen and the “Sonata Latina” by Mike Mower, which included an improvisation using extended techniques to provide a feeling of a Brazilian carnival.
A lighter program, but played beautifully, because the duo exhibits an intoxicating musicality, impeccable phrasing and deep understanding of the music, especially in a lot of the more intricate passages.
There is an exciting rendezvous of music from the early baroque period and Afro-American music as portrayed in “Baroque and Blue” by Claude Bolling, which allows Mr. Pivetta to display his versatility as a jazz pianist as well. This allows for some sections to be rewritten with an ease sometimes foreign to us Europeans, however with captivating results.
The “Sonata” by Michael Garson portrays a kinder side of life. Soviet born composer, Otar Taktakishvili wrote his “Sonata” during the Cold War period and it’s reminiscent of the study of Sergei Prokofiev. With this piece, the duo dazzled the audience with incredible musical dashes and tender passages.
Virtuosic even in the most noble of terms, Debra L. Reuter-Pivetta also loves to identify herself with pieces not so closely destined to her instrument. The program also included the “Nocturne” (1911) by Lili Boulanger, “La Ronde de Lutins” by Antonio Bazzini, the variations on “The Carnival of Venice” by Paul Genin and an arrangement of the well-known aria “Che gelida manina” by Giacomo Puccini.
Even here our soloist, exhibits stunning breath control, extreme clarity in all registers and a sound that is seldom encountered: rich, warm and expressive like few others.
To close, the couple chose as an encore, a piece in genuine South American folklore: a “Venezuelan Joropo” written by Eraclio Hernandez titled “El Diablo Suelto” which translates into- The Devil is on the Loose.
Delta County Independent
Delta, CO
February 21, 2001
Debra Reuter-Pivetta earns standing ovation at Delta concert
by Judith Musafia
Debra Reuter-Pivetta, flutist, presented a recital of new and unusual pieces on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at the Delta Middle School auditorium under the auspices of the Community Concerts series. From beginning to end, the audience was treated to wonderfully musical phrase making and - on occasion - breathtaking technical skill. Reuter-Pivetta was accompanied adroitly by her husband, Federico Pivetta.
There was a distinctly Latin flavor to the recital. The program was framed, beginning and ending, with the “Tango Fantasia” by Jacob Gade/ Toke Lund Christiansen and the “sonata Latino” by Mike Mower. The performers seem to have a real flair for this music, which calls for a sense of rhythmic timing that is difficult to write, and even more difficult to play.
The “Sonata” by Michael Garson gave Reuter-Pivetta ample opportunity to show us what she can do. She achieved a fine balance between tasteful expression and technical fireworks.
Pivetta expanded on her fine lyrical abilities with a “Nocturne” by Lili Boulanger and “Che gelida manina” which is an aria from Puccini’s “La Boheme.” The choice of the Boulanger piece was interesting in the sense that here was a composer who died at the age of 25, already renowned in France and probably elsewhere for her compositional genius. This piece was a gem. What might the world have heard from her had she lived?
The first half of the program was rounded out with a sonata by Otar Taktakishvili, a composer from Russian Georgia, and “La Ronda des Lutins” (Dance of the Devils) by Bazzini. The whole thing
was modern without being atonal, and full of interesting challenges to the flutist.
In fact his piece, along with several others on the recital, presented the necessity to play high Cs as though they were the easiest thing in the world, which, (as a flutist myself) I know they are not. Reuter-Pivetta negotiated all the high Cs with aplomb, and even in the course of things threw in some high C#s and (I think) a high D with the same apparent ease.
After intermission, Pivetta played two jazz numbers with an admirable amount of skill and panache, including an arrangement of Gershwin’s “Lady be Good.” This provided an interesting foil for the rest of the program.
In a recital which presented three composers born after 1950, the most interesting piece on the program was entitled “Lookout!” (by Robert Dick) which presented some alternative techniques of tone production for the unaccompanied performer.
As almost always sees to be the case with Community Concerts presentations, these two engaging artists established an amiable relationship with the audience early on and kept it that way. At the end of the recital, I had a whole new list of works to look for, and the audience gave the artists a standing ovation.
Herald and News
Klamath Falls, OR
January 28, 2001
Flutist’s Performance at Ross Ragland ‘more than impressive’
By Doug Higgs
The Klamath Community Concert Association audience was treated to a remarkable experience Thursday night in the Ross Ragland Theater.
The performance by flutist Debra Reuter-Pivetta was more than impressive.
Accompanied only by her husband, pianist Federico Pivetta, she demonstrated her rare abilities to understand and convey every mood of the music she was playing.
She was at all times comfortable and skillful, regardless of the artistic demands made on her.
With a few exceptions, the program consisted of compositions by composers unfamiliar to most audiences.
One of these was “Che gelida manina” from the opera by Giacomo Puccini, “La Boheme,” which proved to be the most appealing and irresistibly beautiful piece performed.
Also stirring was the rollicking and melodic part of “Sonata Latino,” a composition by a lesser known contemporary composer, Mike Mower, that had an unmistakable Latin flavor.
The other two sections, which were not as appealing, projected an aggressive, even arrogant tone in one and a bouncier and, at times, intricate variation in the other.
Reuter-Pivetta was especially outstanding in her rendition of “La Ronde des Lutins” by Antonio Bazzini, a perpetual motion piece with a slower interlude section. She excelled in an unaccompanied segment.
The program began with “Tango Fantasia” that included the melody of an old popular song, “Jealousy” (night and day you torture me).
Next was “Sonata” by Michael Garson, which Reuter-Pivetta performed with genuine feeling, particularly the lovely first movement. The second movement was quite moody and third absolutely frantic and she expressed both flawlessly.
“Nocturne” by Lili Boulanger, a melancholy piece, followed that and after “Che gelida manina,” she performed “Sonata” by Russian composer Otar Taktakishvili. This consisted of a lively first movement full of complexities, a melodic second movement and a fast paced third movement.
“La Ronde des Lutins” concluded the program before the intermission.
After the intermission, Pivetta offered piano solos of compositions by two renowned American composers, Duke Ellington’s “I Got It Bad” and George Gershwin’s “Oh, Lady Be Good.”
Reuter-Pivetta then performed what probably was the weakest composition on the program, “Lookout!” by Robert Dick.
“Sonata Latino” followed that and an encore, rapid composition from Venezuela closed the concert.