I attended the final summer concert of Intermezzo Chamber Music Series on August 12, 2024 with my friends Ruth, Nancy, and Nancy’s mother. All of us love classical music, and we were particularly thrilled to attend this concert because Joe Osterstock, a rising new composer whose work was being performed, is Nancy’s nephew. The concert featured his piece titled “Aria,” along with works by Josef Suk, Franz Joseph Haydn, and BedÅ™ich Smetana. The Uinta Trio — Monte Belknap (violin), Nicole Pinnell (cello), and Michael McQuay (piano) — performed the evening’s program in the Libby Gardner Concert Hall on the University of Utah campus. All of the evening’s music exquisitely embodied intensity and passion.
The evening began with Josef Suk’s “Elegie,” Op. 23, a piece that blends nuanced layers of sound and emotion. At times, it is sweet and tender; at others, it is pensive and melancholic. The trio began with a controlled, gentle, light touch, and then they allowed the piece to become more tumultuous as they dug into the strings. These contrasts resonated with me, and I loved the tension that developed as the piece progressed.
Next, the ensemble performed Haydn’s three-movement Trio in A-major Hob.XV.18. The changes in mood from movement to movement create a thoroughly engaging and satisfying piece. The first movement, Allegro moderato, makes a distinguished entrance with dramatic chords and broad notes. Flowing piano melodies, complemented by the violin, follow, and the musicians’ delicate touch throughout these passages held my attention. The mood shifts in the second movement, Andante, beginning with a bit of sadness that evolves into exhilaration. The movement keeps a very gentle pace that highlights the delicate melodic lines. Again, I loved Michael McQuay’s interpretation on the the piano, particularly during the section when the string players switch to subtle pizzicato notes. The piece accelerates to a fantastic finish with a vivacious third movement. I loved the exuberant and cheerful quality of this concluding movement, particularly heard in the brisk piano and violin parts. Simply fabulous!
Osterstock’s “Aria” came next and impressed us with its sublime beauty. Dr. James Pearl commissioned Osterstock to compose the piece as a memorial for Valter Nassi, and the end result is a tender tonal tribute to Salt Lake City’s beloved restaurateur. Rich intensity underlies the tenderness, conveying celebration and appreciation of a life well lived. A sense of joy triumphs over sorrow. I particularly enjoyed the piece’s thoughtful pacing and the cascading piano arpeggios whose sound resembles a harp.
The concert concluded with Smetana’s Trio in G Minor Op. 15. Composed as an autobiographical piece addressing the untimely death of Smetana’s young daughter, it is deeply passionate throughout — furious, even —counterbalanced by lighter, more playful interludes. As such, it embodies the range of emotions a grieving parent would experience. The Uinta Trio delivered a grand performance that sounded symphonic, despite being three musicians, and the piece superbly showcased the full spectrum of the musicians’ skills. It was a brilliant finale!
Intermezzo Chamber Music’s Fall Concert Series is underway with one concert remaining on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at Libby Gardner Hall on the University of Utah campus. The concert will feature piano trios by Mozart and Dvořák. Click here for information and tickets.
The Good Life 
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