Cavatine
New Focus, 2020
8/10
The duo of Stephanie Ho and Saar Ahuvia return with Cavatine, where the piano virtuosos reimagine legendary work in a new environment as they interpret Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert in their very alluring formula.
The first six tracks offer us Beethoven’s “String Quartet In B-Flat Major, Op. 130”, where the keys vary from soft to quick and agile on “Adagio ma non troppo- Allegra”, to the dancing melodies of the playful “Presto”. Later on, “Alla danza tedesca. Allegro assai” displays dynamic interaction between the four hands, while “Grosse Fuge Opus 134” uses its 16+ minutes to offer firm, nearly abrasive keys, as well as flowing key acrobatics that you can’t help but admire.
The final track, Schubert’s “Fantasie in F minor, D. 940”, finds the keys emitting a contemplative, ominous atmosphere of unparalleled skill and sublime, adventurous musicianship.
A record that coincides with Beethoven’s 250th birthday, Stephanie & Saar perform with an elegance and artistic quality here, and if their chemistry seems very intimate, well, it should as they have been married for 15 years now. If you’ve got an ear for piano music, it’s best you’re prepared to spend much time with Cavatine, and you’ll likely appreciate every second of it.
Travels well with: Sid Richardson- Borne By A Wind; George Lewis- The Recombinant Trilogy