ABS-CBN chamber concert: Enlightening ‘conversation’ / Significant miscellany

Before last week’s concert at the Lopez Museum began, ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra conductor Gerard Salonga defined chamber music as “a conversation”. It was the most explicit and succinct description of the term. Accordingly, throughout the brief recital, the audience heard members of a vastly reduced orchestra “talking” to each other.

In the initial number, horn player Nepthalie Villanueva, violinist Jonathan David Livioco, viola players Rodel N. Lorenzo and Ma. Cecilia Obtinario, and cellist Patrick Sanchez “conversed” while observing the formal structure of Mozart’s Quintet for Horn and Strings in E-Flat Major. Reverting to musical terminology, the timber and tonal colors of the horn vastly differed from those of the strings, thus tending to dominate the performance. Nevertheless, each instrumentalist conveyed technical polish and expression.

There was more tonal balance in Carl Nielsen’s Serenata in Vano, with the wind instruments — Raymundo Lazaro’s clarinet, Frenvee Andra’s bassoon and Nepthalie Villanueva’s horn — answered in equal measure by the strings — Ed Pasamba’s cello and Paolo Alcantara’s contrabass.

In Dave Brubeck's jazzy number, the auditory experience was totally distinct, all the “conversationalists” being brasswind players: Roberto de Pano, Xavier Earnest John Celestial, trumpets; Benito San Jose, horn; Neil Reyes, trombone; Jasper Andra, tuba. Inevitably, a loud, noisy “conversation”, interspersed with arresting pauses, ensued.

The finale, Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks Concerto in E-Flat, had the largest number of instrumentalists (14), with Salonga conducting string, woodwind and brasswind players: Benjamin Velasco, Jr., flute; Marco A. Velasco, clarinet; Frenvee Andra, bassoon; Benito San Jose, Nepthalie Villanueva, horns; Jonathan D. Livioco, Divina J. Salonga, Ralph W. Taylan, violins; Ma. Cecilia Obtinario, Albert Magcalas, Jr., Claudia A. Berenguer, violas; Ed Pasamba, Patrick Sanchez, cellos; Joji Magadia, Paolo Alcantara, contrabasses.

The contrapuntal style, as Salonga pointed out in his prefatory remarks, was in the vein of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. The three movements were rendered successively, the fugal first and third movements being swift and intense; after the theme was announced, the various instrumentalists answered or pursued each other in a merry chase.

Calling attention were the vivid dissonances alternating with brief melodic lines, and the rhythmic vitality characteristic of Stravinsky. All these were delineated as Salonga masterfully controlled the direction and flow of the tremendously vibrant “conversation” which proved to be an enlightening experience in line with the concert’s title “An Introduction to Chamber Music”.

In attendance were Mickey Muñoz, director of the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, Lopez Museum director Mercedes Lopez-Vargas and communications director Neil Andoque to oversee organizational details.

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The Malolos Society and Bulakeños International, in cooperation with the National Historical Institute, will open the photo gallery “Mama Sita Kababayan, Ina at Kusinera” on Aug. 15, 3 p.m. at the Casa Real, Paseo del Congreso, Malolos. The event celebrates Bulacan Foundation Day.

Recently launched at the R. Magsaysay Center Social Hall was “Struggle Against Greed and Injustice” (a memoir) written by Sir Vicente T. Tan, Ph.D., and co-authored by his wife Helen Chin Tan.

The Brian Cimafranca violin recital was organized and presented by Lina Racho,  a founding trustee of the Filfest Cultural Foundation, and its artistic director.Vicky F. Zubiri is Filfest president.

From Bacolod, Lourdes Amigo Palisada writes this letter which arrived after the usual slow postal service: “Oscar Yatco has always been brilliant even when I was the page-turner for his concert in Davao in 1952.

“Why is Nena del Rosario not playing? I know she played a concert at age seven, and that she goes to Paris for further studies; she plays that haunting melody for the left hand which my mother used to play with Chopin’s Berceuse.”