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| The Arianna String Quartet with the Kyo-Shin-An Arts trio Photo: Karen Palmer |
Review by: Lee Hartman
After a day of celebrating the Royals’ World Series victory, things were decidedly more quiet at UMKC for the Conservatory Artists Series’s presentation of the Arianna String Quartet and Kyo-Shin-An Arts trio. Those who could drag themselves out of their elated stupor bore witness to a remarkable program and performance combining the Western string quartet tradition and that of Japanese Sankyoku [trio].
Kyo-Shin-An Arts began the program with Yachiyo Jishi, a traditional sankyoku dating from the middle-eighteenth century by Fujinaga Kengyo. Set in three sections, this Lion Piece depicts a lion sleeping who becomes disturbed and then executes a wild dance. Though the “wildness” of the music loses something in translation for Western ears, the piece was beautifully rendered by Yoko Reikano Kimura on shamisen (a Japanese guitar/banjo) and voice, Yumi Kurosawa on 20-string koto (zither), and James Nyoraku Schlefer on shakuhachi (flute). Kimura’s voice was rich and full-bodied and easily carried over the delicate ensemble.
The Arianna String Quartet followed with a performance of Claude Debussy’s String Quartet in G Minor unlike any I have ever heard before. Typically the playing of impressionistic Debussy is muted, wishy-washy, and polite. Arianna infused this work with a dose of pre-impressionism as befitted the time in which it was composed. As such, humor and aggression, passionate reds and playful purples, burst forth with exuberance. This performance was immediately gripping and showed artists with much to say about the music they were playing. The few intonation slips were secondary to this elucidating rendition. It was stunning work all around.
If it was possible to top the sublime Debussy, Kyo-Shin-An Arts and Arianna did so with James Nyoraku Schlefer’s Dream Corner. A fusion of Eastern traditional ensemble and Western string quartet, Dream Corner is among the most convincing, integrated, and musical fusion of the two ensembles and philosophies. Schlefer, one of the few handful of non-Japanese to ever achieve the rank of Grand Master of shakuhachi, clearly knows both idioms. All too often pieces in this genre are used for artificial timbral effects or pandering attempts at inclusivity, neither of which were present in Schlefer’s monumental eleven-movement work. Each instrument was essential, and Schlefer’s explorations of possible timbral combinations created a clear palette for each player to work musical magic as soloists, concerted, or ensemble members. Telling the story of two lovers who meet only in dreams, the piece echoed back to the two previous works in its elegance and vibrancy. Three of the standout movements were the opening shakuhachi solo Overture, the fourth movement’s energetic ensemble Dance, and “Down and Dirty,” also for the entire ensemble. “Slow,” the ninth movement, was a masterpiece in simplicity and my personal favorite. This almost-passacaglia of two declamatory attacks followed by long silences ever so gradually filled the open spaces with achingly gorgeous lines from each performer.
It’s a shame that more weren’t in attendance for this recital that will probably appear on my list of favorites at the end of the season. Both the music presented and the performances were of the highest caliber. As the only visiting artist to appear on this season of the Conservatory Artist Series, it is distressing to see the UMKC Conservatory not bringing more events like this to Kansas City as its comparable nearby public state institutions at KU and UCMO manage to do in Lawrence and Warrensburg.
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