By Pianist Daniel Shapiro charmed concertgoers with his repertoire of classical pieces Tuesday night at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music’s “Guest Artist Series” in the Gerald R. Daniel Recital Hall.
Dr. Shapiro, a renowned interpreter of many classical composers, and native of Southern California, performed his interpretations of three classical pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig Van Beethoven and Robert Schumann.
The first piece, “K. 511,” a Mozart Rondo, which contained rapid tempo changes, made transitions sound segmented and left listeners confused. This isn’t to say the performance was lacking, but to a novice ear, the piece itself seemed a bit too choppy.
The second piece “Op. 31, No. 3,” a Beethoven Sonata, was significantly better. This piece contained four movements, which ranged from cheery to somber. Every transition flowed perfectly with what preceded it. Dr. Shapiro expressed every emotion through the movement of his body and the expressions on his face. The music itself expressed strong emotion that could be seen across the audience’s faces as the piece went on.
The third, and best piece of the night by far, was Schumann’s Sonata “Concerto Without Orchestra.” Dr. Shapiro expressed his love for this underappreciated piece before he began to play, and said that Schumann composed it “in a time of crisis” between him and his wife. This beautiful piece conveyed those emotions perfectly, and a crisis was apparent. The tempo shifts and the power of the piano demonstrated a happy relationship disintegrating into an intense argument, and all that sorrow that comes with it.
The title of this piece was also made clear when its complexity was reviled. At times, the music sounded as if there were more than one instrument playing this single piece. During certain sections, the music would become so intricate that the transitions became seamless, and the music flowed throughout the concert hall.
When the concert was over the audience gave a standing ovation, and cheered until an encore was played. The encore, “Concerto Without Orchestra,” was well-received by the audience, prompting a second standing ovation.
The concert was an enjoyable success, and the music was beautifully played.
These instrumental concerts are gems that the College of the Arts offer, and deserve to be embraced by Cal State Long Beach. When students attend these concerts, they keep music alive in the community, and that will help continue to bring talents like Daniel Shapiro to Long Beach.
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