The Concert Number 32: Nicola Benedetti and Julien Quentin - Essay Example

The recital began with the performance of one of the teenage violinist favorites, Jules Massenet's Meditation from Tha. The repertoire composed in the early 20th century evokes a feeling of distant nostalgia. Nicola's rendition was masterful, yet simplistic; keeping through to the composer's style and soaring melodies. Benedetti showed a temperament that belied her age, strumming note after note in a performance that captured her feelings both for the violin and the Massenet's composition. The second performance of the night was Debussy: Sonata for violin and piano, L. 140. Originally composed by the Frenchman Claude Debussy in 1917, the sonata is characteristically full of Debussy's sense of tonality and easily recognizable.

Debussy was known to incorporate an orchestration using creative doublings, divisions and wordless choruses in his compositions. Benedetti's violin rendition of the rhapsodic Debussy's sonata featured some delightful free movement as she unbound herself easily with an irresistible momentum. The teen violinist impressed with a precise and intoned performance, showing a calm control of her emotions in the quiet moments and when the virtuosity of the piece required an upswing. The violin responded gloriously producing a golden melody that was both captivating as well as glass shattering.

The night reached a crescendo with Benedetti's rendition of the j. Ravel's Sonata for violin and piano No. 2 in G Major was written in 1922 is full of influences from American 1920's jazz culture. Benedetti performance spoke of maturity and a conviction that was pure delight. She stayed true to the jazzy feel with an impeccable strumming of the violin strings like a guitar; knowing when to lead and exactly when to accompany the rest of the orchestra. Her deft touches once again showed Benedetti's quick adaptation skills even to the up-tempo American jazz blues.