The living room of Weatherwatch Farm was crammed full of keen listeners, many of whom had heard the Lavrova-Primakov Piano Duo before. This was the Duo’s fourth visit (combination retreat and concert) and they presented yet another completely new and challenging program. With each visit they grow their repertoire; by now it is extensive. Their February 24 program included Danse macabre, Op. 40 of Saint-Saëns, Night on Bald Mountain of Modest Mussorgsky, Andante and Allegro Brillant, Op. 92 of Felix Mendelsson, and Blue Danube Fantasy of Greg Anderson.
There is something charming and wonderful about the intimacy that a house concert offers, and folks seem willing to endure some discomfort. All seats are not created equal! We had a motley assortment of chairs – some rather rickety – dragged out from every corner of this rambling old house. A few friends even sat on the stairs, but at least they were compensated by having a view down upon those glorious fingers going a mile a minute up and down the keyboard. Natalia and Vassily played the difficult program beautifully with dazzling technical brilliance, eliciting a great many colors, myriad moods, and above all, intense drama. Everyone loved it!