[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts music review of Sords-Walz-Durkovic in A Brahms Bonanza at the Athena Foundation for the Arts.
Romance comes to North Hollywood. Or to be more accurate, The Athena Foundation for the Arts brought us another world-class concert headlined by the American violinist, Andrew Sords, the celebrated cellist, John Walz, and with Los Angeles-based pianist, Timothy Durkovic. Each of these musicians is at the top of their game, traveling the world bringing not only their exquisite talents. But they bring such a deep emotion to their playing that goes well beyond virtuosity.
As the title of the concert declares, A Brahms Bonanza, the evening was filled with some of Johannes Brahms’ most memorable pieces. The program consisted of Sonatensatz, the Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Piano Trio No. 3 in C minor. Op. 101, and the grand finale, Hungarian Dances No. 6 in D minor. The auditorium was electric with music played with such precision and emotion that the audience was out of breath by the time intermission presented itself. As one audience member commented to me at intermission, “I think we all need a blood transfusion after the first half.” At first I didn’t understand the comment, but after a moment I understood full and well that this concert got into our bodies and affected our chemistry.
The irony of tonight’s performance is that the audience, and myself, in attendance got to not only witness beauty in the art of such playing of Brahms pieces, it also reminded me of how important art is to our world. Especially in times such as these where all of us are frightened of what is to come. Domestically, we have challenges to everyday life. And the divisiveness around us. For a little over an hour, I was bathed in excellence by masters of their instruments and my soul was penetrated by music that was written nearly one hundred and seventy years ago. Art reminds us of our humanity, but it also heals. Tonight I felt healed by three doctors; Sords, Walz, and Durkovic as they performed an operation on my soul.
The Athena Foundation of the Arts continues to bring world-class music to North Hollywood, offering evenings that remind us why live performance matters.