Review of World Premiere of Violin Sonata at Aspen Music Festival

Steiman: Shaham’s resonant premiere tops the week

Aug 12, 2023, Harvey Steiman

Violinist Gil Shaham, always a welcome visitor to the Aspen Music Festival, debuted a new sonata by Jonathan Leshnoff on Wednesday in his Harris Hall recital. The world premiere of the heart-on-sleeve, unabashedly-melodic, lushly-expressive piece made for a memorable occasion.

Shaham has history with Leshnoff, having premiered his “Yiddish Dance Suite” in 2011 and chamber concerto in 2015. With a Grammy nomination to his name, Leshnoff knows how to communicate with audiences.

Alternately melancholy and wistful, the four movements in 20 minutes occasionally burst into a lively dance, even though the piece reflects the composer’s preoccupation with his dying father as he wrote the piece. A strain of Yiddish-tinged sorrow runs through the tuneful first movement, reminiscent of John Williams’ “Schindler’s List” theme but not at all a copy.

The second-movement Adagio was especially touching, and the two final movements felt like someone shaking off sadness for something more positive. Festival music director Robert Spano at the piano shaped a kaleidoscope of harmonies with a soft touch.

Especially striking was a long cadenza in the finale that at times seemed to be channeling the Chaconne from Bach’s “Partita No. 2” for unaccompanied violin. It rose to a frenzied climax before receding into the piece’s sigh of a finish. This, of course, was catnip for Shaham, who can make his instrument sing like few others.

Complete review HERE.