Review of Bion Tsang's performance at the SCMS Summer Festival.
The Seattle Times Seattle, WA July 22, 2010
It seemed impossible that the night could get any better, but after intermission it did. Lalo's Piano Trio in A minor opened its floodgates immediately, with a torrential opening delivered with bracing conviction by cellist Bion Tsang. James Ehnes' violin engaged Tsang's cello in a series of beautifully shaped ripostes. The piece ended with the two string players plucking two notes — such delightful simplicity that chuckles erupted from the audience.
After this impassioned first movement, the Presto exploded like a geyser. The energy of this movement never ebbed, bubbling up with cascades of piano chords from Adam Neiman and pizzicato bubbles from the strings. The stillness of the slow movement was titanic: The instruments gathered force and swelled up magnificently before ebbing out, a tidal wave hitting land in slow motion.
The concluding Allegro offered a mountainous landscape of contrasts from the strings while the piano offered thunderous lightening-bolt chords. Electrified by all the energy produced that evening, the audience — no surprise — leapt to its feet.
By Sumi Hahn
