# Concert Review: David Cohen and Charles Owen recital at Wigmore Hall May 12, 2013



## Charles Macalister (May 15, 2013)

This Sunday evening at the Wigmore Hall I had the delicious pleasure of attending one of the most memorable concerts of the season so far. It was a cello recital by cellist David Cohen and pianist Charles Owen.

The programmation was very interesting and also could have proved very risky. All cellists know what a mountain it is to tackle the Arpeggione Sonata, and not only did Cohen rouse the audience to wild "Bravos" after the first piece of the program, but his audacious choice as an opener showed aplomb in the knowledge that he would pull it off brilliantly... And pull it off brilliantly he did. The only thing a little bit disturbing in the whole evening was how briskly he turned one of the pages in the Schubert, which was of course very efficient, but it disturbed the incredible atmosphere that he had built. Never mind, if all this young cellist has to work on is turning one page a little more calmly, then we are sure to be seeing a lot more of him in the future. Of course, this was a mere detail.

As a nod to David Cohen's inspiration, the incomparable Rostropovich, Cohen cunningly combined the Schubert and Britten Sonatas in the first half of the program, as Rostropovich had done in the first recording of the work, with Britten himself on the piano. The sensitivity of tonal quality, the poignant lines, and then the bravura exhibited in the fast movements were breathtaking. At once touching, haunting, empathic as well as witty and charming. 

Charles Owen was an incredibly sensitive chamber music partner and both players seemed to thoroughly enjoy playing together. Owen's choice of colours in the Arpeggione in particular were beautifully sensitive.

Next on the program after the Intermission, was the world premiere of Composer Ian Wilson's, The Little Spanish Prison. As Cohen explained when he addressed the audience, commissioning new works is a project he has decided to dedicate himself to every year, this year being the first.
Ian Wilson's work is in my opinion a very good piece with some interesting motives and material, but perhaps the high level of performance from both Cohen and Owen enhanced it and helped put it in an even better light than what it actually merits.

Last on the program was David Cohen's own arrangement of Schnittke's Suite in the Old Style originally written for violin, a piece which suits his sparkling aura and tender, melodious generosity enormously. The sounds he produced on his wonderful Montagnana were ravishing and one couldn't help think that Schnittke would have loved hearing it on the cello in the hands of David Cohen.

As an encore we were treated to Paganini's Moses Variations, in which Cohen's virtuosity was spellbinding. The whole performance was exhilarating and Cohen brought the house down.

Cohen plays as though his life depended on every note, and the whole evening from start to finish was an absolute masterpiece of eloquence. One had the impression he was giving every last drop of his soul to the audience. Not only is he a master of his instrument, but a generous story teller, all the while Cohen is bursting with brilliance and utterly bedazzling. A star in the making to watch.

- Charles Macalister


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