The duo team of Ronald Lantz, violin and Lauara Kargul, piano were heard in concert at the Historical Museum in Springvale on the Feb. 7.

Lantz is a superb violinist and while he plays second violin with the famous Portland String Quartet he is in fact a first violoinist merely playing the second part, something he has done with distinction for more than 40 years. Kargul, playing the Museum’s Bechstein’s grand piano, is director of keyboard studies at University of Maine, Gorham, a post she has held with distinction since l989.

Kargul informed the audience that this was a Valentines Day Concert and regaled the audience with details about the romantic relationships of the composers on the program. “The sole exception was J. de la Presle who was happily married.” I was already familiar with the “goings on” of these composers (all men) with the exception of Mendelssohn and his relationship with Jenny Lind, a noted and notable soprano.

I have heard these artists before and what I heard last night only reinforced my previous impressions. Lantz, playing an (almost) 200-year old violin and bow made by Vuillaume has a full bodied and sensuous tone. This timbre is matched with the highest level of musicianship, passionate expression as well as unerring intonation.

Kar

gul’s role is that of colleag

ue rather than junior partner in this enterprise. They listen to each other and literally feed off each other, musically speaking. Most of the works performed were relatively short pieces with the very notable exception of the third ViIolin Sonata by Johannes Brahms. This work composed near of the end of his life is, for want of a better description, is long and grim throughout. There is an attempt at lyricism in the 2nd movement and even humor in the third movement, but these attempts fall short of the mark. I got the feeling that “Dark is Life and Dark is Death” (the opening phrase found in Mahler’s Song of the Earth.) This sonata is in actuality a symphony for violin and piano. I am surprised that no one has orchestrated it to date. Two works by Robert Schumann, Romance in A Major and Romantic Piece in B flat major opened the program and the work by Brahms concluded the first half of the program; the performers were received with prolonged applause.

After intermission, fueled by free and delicious pastry, the audience was happy to resume listening to music. After commenting about the relationship between Mendelssohn and Ms. Lind, Kargul commented that knowing about the composer’s relationships “changes the way you hear the music.” Among the marvelous performances that followed that included compositions by Mendelssohn, Jacques de la Presle, Faure and Astor Piazzolla, I was more than impressed by the music as well the interpretations given especially to “Chanson intime” by de la Presle. The interplay between the instruments, his choice of varied and expressive harmony and the melodic element in the music were impressive. “Song Without Words” by Mendelssohn, “Apres un reve” by Faure and especially the beautiful fantasy “Oblivion” by Piazzolla were also examples of the art and craft of music wedded to impressive music making. Standing ovations are becoming too common, but this “dynamic duo” earned theirs. The next concert at the Museum on Aperil 18, will feature the world famous Portland String Quartet in a concert featuring string quartets by Beethoven, Schubert and Schickele.

— Dr. Morton Gold is a composer/conductor and an arts reviewer of the Journal Tribune.