Christmas at the Podium / Visual arts exhibitions

One might wager that quality performances explain the durability of the Clarion Chamber Ensemble founded by American flutist David Johnson. I missed its hugely successful engagement at the Ayala Museum, but went to its concert at the Philamlife Theater. Unfortunately, because the event fell on a Sunday, and on the general exodus to the provinces for the holidays, attendance was small. However, the audience of faithful chamber music lovers was warmly responsive.

Titled "Mostly Pinoy", the program was not quite evenly divided between Filipino composers (Molina and Buenaventura) and foreign ones (Brahms, Dvorak and Poulenc). The entire ensemble consisting of cellist Renato Lucas, flutist David Johnson, oboeist Reynaldo Resurreccion, bassoonist Freenvee Arra, violinists Marygrace and Michi Martinez, clarinetist Raymundo Lazaro and French horn player Nepthalie Villanueva interpreted Brahms’ Serenade No. 1 in D, its Scherzo. The work combined inspired and prosaic passages but the technically polished rendition itself was highly inspired, the melodic lines surfacing beautifully and cohesively.

Poulenc’s Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano came next, with Reynato Resurreccion, Frenvee Andra and Raul Sunico each on his respective instrument. Sunico is doubtless the most sought-after pianist. Despite his hectic schedule as dean of the UST Conservatory, he accommodates insistent requests for participation from chamber groups as also requests for tutoring from seasoned professional pianists preparing for concerts.

At the Philamlife Theater, his presence was conspicuously felt as excellent assisting artist giving expression, along with the oboeist and bassoonist, to Poulenc’s poetic, lyrical gem of a piece.

Annotator Bert Robledo observed that Antonio Molina is known chiefly for his Hating Gabi for piano and cello. The late National Artist for Dance Leonor Orosa Goquingco choreographed her "Maria Clara and the Leper" (inspired by Rizal’s Noli) to another Molina work, Preludio y Romanza. I vividly recall this because, modesty aside, I was Maria Clara and my late brother, Jose, the Leper. In later years, Leonor used still another Molina composition, Malikmata, for the same dance, and the number left even greater impact on the viewer, the music being more suited to Leonor’s storyline.

Molina’s Quarteto in C for Two Violins, Viola, Cello and Piano – with Gina Medina and Marygrace Martinez on violins, Michi Martinez on viola, Renato Lucas on cello and Raul Sunico on piano – was one of the evening’s highlights. Avant-garde compositions are often difficult to listen to, there being no melodic lines to follow. They compel attention through excitingly varied rhythms, rich tonal colors and ingenious juxtapositions of notes. Having these qualities to a notable degree, Molina’s piece commanded attention.

Buenaventura’s Quintet for Flute, Oboe, Horn and Bassoon was less interesting, some other pieces by him sound much better.

Climaxing the concert was Dvorak’s zestful Trio in E Minor for violin (Gina Medina), cello (Renato Lucas) and piano (Raul Sunico). Each instrumentalist fortified the other two and the three playing together produced vibrant, shimmering music, the melodic lines singing gloriously.

Resounding applause brought on a repeat of Brahms’ Serenade in D.

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The invitation to the film show Merry Christmas is special; hosts are the French and German embassies, the Alliance Francaise, the British Council and Goethe-Institut.

The movie written and directed by Christian Carion, will have an advance screening on Nov. 11 at the Podium to mark Armistice Day which ended World War I. Unfortunately, I have committed myself to the CCP concert "Remembering Anne Frank" which commemorates the holocaust of World War II; this concert also falls on Nov. 11.

Merry Christmas, a Nord-Quest presentation, was shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

With the following as synopsis, the film must be deeply moving:

Having no news is the suffering which haunts Lt. Audebert every night. And Christmas arrives, with its snow and a multitude of family and army presents. But the surprise won’t come from inside the generous parcels which lie in the French, Scottish and German trenches. That night, a momentous event will turn the destinies of Nikolaus, Ana, Palmer and Audebert around.

Because the unthinkable will happen: rifles will be left by the soldiers at the trenches, and they will go, candle in hand, to see those opposite, shake their hands, exchange a cigarette and a piece of chocolate, and wish each other "Merry Christmas".

When war breaks out in the lull of summer 1914, it surprises and pulls millions of men in its wake. Nikolaus Sprink, an exceptional tenor of the Berlin Opera House, will have to give up his prestigious career and the one he loves: Anna Sorensen, soprano and singing partner, Palmer, Anglican priest, has volunteered to follow Jonathan, his young church aide. They leave Scotland, one as a soldier, the other as a tretcher-bearer. Lt. Audebert has had to leave his wife, pregnant and bedridden, to fight the enemy. But the Germans now occupy the small town of Northern France where the young bride has probably given birth. Unless the worst has happened.

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From Nov. 4 to 6, Goethe Institut is offering at 7 p.m. at Podium Cinema 2, three German films on music and youth: Rhythm Is It, The Blind Flyers and Status Yo! Admission is free.

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Three years ago, Theresa Miller, a Japanese Brazilian born-American, came to the Philippines with her husband David Miller, US Agricultural Counselor. Here Theresa’s passion for painting began last April of 2005 she joined a group exhibit at the residence of then Ambassador Ricciardone. Her paintings were highly impressive.

Yesterday, Theresa’s second sole exhibit entitled "Floral Celebration" opened at the Ayala Museum and ends Nov. 16. Theresa is sad leaving "this beautiful country" where her artistic vocation bore fruit – or flowers.

Bart Aguas, our best-known tile artist recently ended his second one-man exhibit "Glaze ’n Craze" at the Nicotina Garden Pavilion. An architect for more than 20 years, Bart has branched put to other hand-sculpted forms – tile stair risers, fountain tile murals, icon art in tiles, accent tiles, tile clocks, etc. Call Bibsy, Carballo 7210801 for more information.