Start off with Bach’s The Goldberg Variations, which is all about messing with a theme and add some spice; keep changing it in devilish ways. In this case, Paul Huang, Richard O’Neill and Ani Aznivoorian played the heck out of Dimitri Sitkovetsky’s arrangement based on the iconic Glenn Gould recording. It’s a bit streamlined, eliminating many repetitions, which was all to the good. Spicy, part 1. Next came Bartók’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, full of unexpected changes and lots of variety, one of the earliest 20th century pieces to feature percussion instruments as solo elements. It’s a dynamic work with turns and variations that builds in intensity to a thunderous climax in the 3rd movement. All given an enthusiastic reading by Ji Hye Jung & Robert van Sice on percussion with Joanne Pierce Martin and Gavin Martin on pianos. ‘Nuff spice?
