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| Violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr. |
Featuring:
Diomedes
Saraza Jr., violin
Greg
Zuniega, piano
Programme:
Johann
Sebastian Bach Violin Sonata No. 3
in C Major, BWV 1005
Alvin
Zhu Poeme
Ludwig
van Beethoven Sonata for Violin and
Piano No. 9 in A major, Op. 47 Kreutzer
Jiulliard
trained violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr. opened the Cultural Center of the Philippines’
Special Concert Series in spectacular fashion. Performing the same programme he
did for his graduation recital, Diomedes showed the audience that filled the Tanghalang
Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) that he is indeed one of the country’s leading
violinists in this generation.
Diomedes
started the concert with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Violin Sonata No. 3 in C
Major, BWV 1005 and despite my general disinterest with Baroque era music, he
was able to amaze me during Fuga, the
piece’s second movement. His deft touch made the voices in the fugue come out with
such clarity. And I was astonished by Bach’s ability to craft a piece with an
intricate architectural structure. For the next piece, collaborating pianist
Greg Zuniega joins Diomedes on stage for the Philippine premiere performance of
Alvin Zhu’s Poeme. Diomedes told me
that Alvin Zhu was his roommate and one of his bestfriends, and that the piece
was composed for the both of them for a theory class. It was originally made up
of only the first movement, Appassionata,
which is a sweeping, impressionistic work (especially the piano part) reminiscent
of Claude Debussy. The teacher said that it was too good so Zhu added two more
movements, Water and Sailing, to the piece. The whole version
had its premiere last December 2012 at Juilliard’s Paul Hall for Double Vision where composers get to premiere
their works if they are good enough.
Then
it was the highlight of the evening for me which was Ludwig van Beethoven Sonata
for Violin and Piano No. 9 in A major, Op. 47 also known as the Kreutzer
Sonata. An imposing work that feels more like a concerto rather than chamber
music, Diomedes handled it like it was a walk in the park. I particularly liked
the second movement Andante con
variazioni which is the longest movement in the entire sonata. I find it a
lot easier to appreciate variations when I see them performed rather than just
by listening to it. And Diomedes, being a rather animated performer, not only
did I hear the variations; I was also able to see it. And he didn’t let up when
he got into the frantic tarantella rhythm of the final movement Presto. I’ve waited a long time to see a
performance of the Kreutzer Sonata once again and seeing Diomedes deliver it
pleased me a lot. Equally pleasing was his encores, Cavatina by Nicanor Abelardo and Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas by Willy Cruz. It was really nice to see him
pay tribute to his Filipino roots by playing these favorite local pieces of
music.
It
would’ve been a lot more awesome if violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr. was able to
fly everyone to the US
to watch his graduation recital at the Juilliard School . But still, it was still
awesome that he brought his graduation recital programme here instead to the Philippines .
The only thing I felt that was missing during this evening was a concerto. But that
would be remedied a lot sooner since there’s a concert featuring
Diomedes coming very, very soon.
