Golez-Espina: Top duo / Two writers remembered

Erratum: In my review of “Bravo España” I wrote: “De Falla’s Noches en los Jardines de España (Nights in the Gardens of Spain) did not offer Rudolf Golez a real piano concerto wherein he could demonstrate his virtuosic skill. In any case, he wholly conveyed the essence, ambiance and vibrance of the music while unerringly and impeccably etching the daunting rhythms, whether slow or rapid, lyrical or dramatic.”

Having missed and thus omitted several words in my review, the proofreader mistakenly attributed the above paragraph to Spanish conductor Cristobal Halffter. What a difference the proofreader’s omission made!

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In Mozart’s sonata, Schubert’s Fantasie, Schoenberg’s six pieces and Brahms’ ten Hungarian Dances, outstanding pianists Mary Anne Espina and Rudolf Pelaez Golez complemented each other’s nimbleness, clarity of tone, richness of hues, dramatic accentuation, exquisite phrasing, sensitive expression and a wide range of dynamics.

In the opening number, Mozart’s Sonata in C Major, Espina played on the high register; Golez, on the low. Although the two continuously exchanged places, this did not matter because, as already observed, each kept complementing the other in approach and treatment of every piece on hand.

The first movement, Allegro of Mozart’sonata, brought to mind children gambolling in field or prairie, with birds singing, trees swaying and leaves flying in the breeze. This picture evolved from the duo’s strikingly light and playful manner which properly characterized the music.

Golez and Espina eloquently delineated the poignant melody that introduced Schubert’s Fantasia in F, a melody which recurred again and again. Schubert’s works are marked by haunting melodies that linger long after they are heard, and though that particular melody was slavishly repeated with little imaginative variation, its beauty and loveliness remained in the memory.

Before Arnold Shoenberg was identified with the 12-tone scale — actually, another fellow-Austrian, Joseph Mathias Hauer, had initiated it — he was known as a post-Romantic composer. Thus, Schoenberg’s six piano pieces abounded with “soaring, sensuous melodies and chromatic harmonies” which enchanted and fascinated the audience.

With Brahms’ concluding ten Hungarian Dances, the program might be described as classic-romantic, with the romantic predominating. Simple, unpretentious, delightful, the tuneful dances pulsated with energy, vigor and zest, the compositions in the minor key conveying touches of sadness, melancholy and nostalgia.

The closest imaginable ensemble work between the richly talented pianists enriched the performance considerably, immensely impressing the audience which gave its thunderous approval. In response, Golez and Espina rendered Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 10, with the former saying beforehand it was the latter’s favorite.

The music world should warmly welcome the new, marvelous piano-duo into its fold and should eagerly await more concerts from them at the F. Santiago Hall under the auspices of the MCO Foundation.

We deeply regret the passing of literary icon Mario T. Gatbonton, brother of Juan (“Johnny”), a literary icon himself. Mario, 88, died in Brisbane Queensland, Australia.

Another eminent writer who died much earlier, also at 88, was Armando D. Manalo. We mourn the loss of these two highly respected and admired figures.

The famed cartoonist Liborio Gatbonton, brother of Mario and Johnny, passed away decades ago. Known simply as “Gat”, Liborio drew caricatures that remain unique and incomparable. Johnny, Gat and I worked together for years in the Manila Chronicle. Funny man Gat, who always tried to speak to me in Spanish, would preface his conversation with, “Como estamos en la vida eterna?”

Although the Yuletide season is upon us, we still have to be reminded of la vida eterna.

At any rate, Happy Holidays to my valued readers!