Music

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Fine music with twist of Latin and jazz

By: Gwenda Nemerofsky

Posted: 04/30/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

If you missed the Women's Musical Club's (WMC) last concert of the season Sunday afternoon, it's a shame. The youthful and vibrant Chéhadé - Nicolas - Trempe Trio treated the audience to a program of impeccably played music with "a Latin and jazz twist."

The three gifted musicians, Caroline Chéhadé, violin, Michael Nicolas, cello, and Marie-Hélène Trempe, piano, proved they are not only technically and artistically excellent, they dare to be different in their programming. They pulled together refreshingly unusual repertoire.

First up was American Paul Schoenfield's Café Music. It grabbed listeners immediately with its catchy rhythms and light-hearted melodies meandering in and out of different genres. Trempe displayed an easy fluidity and great ragtime sensibility in the fun first movement. The trio approached the contrasting second movement with a romantic interpretation, opening with a slinky piano introduction. Nicolas' clean, unaffected tone sang out with just the slightest vibrato and Chéhadé phrased her line lovingly, with clean, pure sound quality. The final Presto scurried along with vigorous intensity and lots of piano special effects -- providing a wonderful showcase for this well-balanced trio.

Trust Shostakovich to come up with a Suite for Jazz Orchestra that is full of humour. The Waltz was rife with driving forcefulness, while the Polka (not particularly jazzy, but more circus-like in nature) featured violin and cello playing off one another -- the cello's mellifluous line versus the violin's edgy bounce of a retort. The Foxtrot opened with the cello front and centre in a steamy solo proudly leading the way. The violin picked it up with a tongue-in-cheek whine that couldn't help but make you smile.

Spanish composer Joaquin Turina's Trio No. 2, Op. 76 opened with big sweeping phrases full of passionate movement. The artists made the music come to life with their wholly committed playing. The Scherzo was a clear demonstration of French impressionist composers' influence on Turina. The placid, watery piano line was full of colour under Trempe's perfect touch. TheFinale was full of confident, "out there" playing as both string players held nothing back. The more playful section was executed without losing the character of the work.

This was a grand way to end the WMC's season.

gwenda.nemerofsky@shaw.ca

Concert Review

Chéhadé - Nicolas - Trempe Trio

Women's Musical Club of Winnipeg

Winnipeg Art Gallery

April 29 Attendance: 300

**** out of five

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 30, 2012 D2

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