By Eileen Wingard
SAN DIEGO –Violinist Asi Matathias and pianist Victor Stanislavsky presented an exciting recital on June 17 at the Dove Library in Carlsbad. This concert was part of the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture’s Music Series and was underwritten by the Leichtag Foundation.
The two young Israeli artists shared their formidable talents in works by Vitali, Franck, Grieg, Bloch and Sarasate. The Franck Sonata, a favorite of violinists, was performed with keen attention to nuances.
Matathias, who possesses a marvelous bow arm, brought out the lyricism and melodic flow of the five movements. Stanislavsky, whose piano part is even more challenging than that of the violin, played with great sensitivity and dynamic control.
The Grieg Sonata shone with virtuosity. Both artists contributed to the dramatic impact of the work. Bloch’s Nigun was given a warm interpretation, eschewing the powerful force some violinists bring to the work for a more introspective spirituality.
The piece where Matathias revealed his highest level of artistry was his encore, Romance Andalusia by Pablo Sarasate. This work had all the subtle rhythmic variety, tonal suavity and iridescent tone quality required to evoke the beauty of that Spanish province where Moors, Christians and Jews once lived together peacefully during a Medieval Golden Age. The Romance could not have had a more convincing interpretation. Perhaps, because Matathias’s father is from Greece, and many Greek Jews were originally from Spain, the violinist probably has Sephardic ancestors and therefore, his special affinity for this music.
Currently, Stanislavsky is the pianist for Yoav Talmi’s conducting classes at the Buchmann-Mehta School at Tel Aviv University and Matithias is studying with Pinchas Zukerman at the Manhattan School of Music. Both are America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship winners. With these mentors and this kind of support, with an abundance of talent and friendly, outgoing personalities, both violinist and pianist are surely on their way to important careers.
Violinist Matathias can be heard again in this area on August 5 in a private home in Rancho Santa Fe. For information, contact: julygalper@aol.com .
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Wingard is a freelance writer and a retired violinist with the San Diego Symphony