The Spanish violinist Laetitia Moreno and pianist Josu De Solaun in concert at Saint-Maron Church in Gemmayzeh as part of the Beirut Chants Festival. (Credit: Ihab Fayad/Beirut Chants)
As a guest of the Beirut Chants Festival, Spanish violinist Laetitia Moreno performed on Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Saint-Maron Church in Gemmayzeh, one of the festival's heritage venues that brings together music and spirituality for the festive season in the heart of Beirut.
She was accompanied by Spanish pianist Josu De Solaun. An acclaimed artist on major international stages, Moreno displays a performance both ardent and meticulously controlled, where virtuosity always serves the meaning and structure of the music.
Presented in collaboration with the Spanish embassy, this recital was fully in keeping with the spirit of Beirut Chants: offering demanding interpretations of the great repertoire, carried by strong artistic personalities.
One can never hear too often the sublime pages that are Bach's six sonatas and partitas for solo violin. Beyond flawless technique, they also require the right temperament and the distilled experience of a lifetime. The Chaconne, the last movement of Bach's Partita No. 2 BWV 1004, is considered the pinnacle of solo violin music.
By turns solemn, meditative, sometimes tragic, Moreno brilliantly captured both the monumental architecture and the alternation of dark and bright sections in this movement.
In this impressively accomplished recital, she still found ways to add a personal touch. Right away, one was struck by the beauty of the sound: not a single squeak or scratch. Her playing asserts itself with remarkable naturalness, never forcing her tone, and never allowing interest to wane.
The distinctly chamber-music approach might seem risky when one is used to more grandiose "one-man orchestra" renditions. For instance, when she eschews any hint of monumentality in this Chaconne, perhaps one could have judged more objectively had she played the entire Partita No. 2.
Bach's sonatas for violin and harpsichord were composed during his time in Kothen (1717–1723), a period rich in instrumental music. The violin takes center stage ahead of the piano accompaniment. Moreno's ease and the velvety quality of her playing are obvious in this sonata.
The mood is one of intimacy, always perfectly accurate, though at moments, perhaps, a touch more lyricism from the pianist would have been welcome. For Moreno, melody reigns supreme, with the full sensuality of the violin's tone. A natural interpretation, marked by a certain reserve, but also by broad and generous inspiration.
The difficulties of Beethoven's Sonata No. 9 for violin and piano are well known.
This sonata was here marked by aggressive bow strokes or pronounced accents that are integral parts of the musical discourse. The chords, by turns aggressive, caressing, or violent, revealed the performer's great maturity and impeccable poise, delivered with a remarkable breadth of sound.
A frenzied Kreutzer, with a fierce finale. And that is exactly what Beethoven intended. A biting, daring, expressive version — an art stripped-down but remarkably coherent. Rhythmic precision: perhaps too much dynamism from the pianist, who played at forte throughout. No nuance.
Yet this did not diminish Moreno's charm or musicality, nor the deep serenity of the encore she offered: Astor Piazzolla's Oblivion.
One miracle did occur that evening: no one applauded between movements. Only a few cell phones rang, betraying the era in which we still listen to Bach.
Beirut Chants continues until Dec. 23. See the full program here.
This article originally appeared in French on L'Orient-Le Jour.
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