Priceless violins steal the show

DAVID PARK, Salt Lake City Recital Hall, Wednesday

It's not too often one can say that an instrument was the centerpiece of a concert. But that describes David Park's recital Wednesday evening in violinmaker Peter Prier's Salt Lake City Recital Hall.

The stars of the hourlong recital were two priceless violins — an Antonio Stradivari instrument from 1681 and a Joseph Guarneri del Gesu violin from 1734. As an added bonus, there was a third instrument, a violin recently built by Prier.

And if that wasn't enough, Park played the instruments using two different bows — a Francois Tourte and a Dominique Peccatte, both of which were made in the years between 1790 and 1810. The names Tourte and Peccatte certainly aren't as familiar as Stradivarius and Guarneri to non-violinists, but their bows are extremely valuable. The bows Park played are valued at around $200,000 each.

Before Park came onstage, Prier spoke for about 15 minutes, discussing the two instruments and giving some historical information and pointing out that the two sound very different from each other for a number of reasons. And when Park finally came onstage and played them, one could easily hear the differences in timbre.

The Stradivarius had a much richer, mellower and fuller sound than the Guarneri, which sounded somewhat thinner, yet still possessed a fullness that gave it vibrancy.

Prier's instrument, on the other hand, sounded more luminous than the older violins. That was the instrument with which Park opened, playing the Preludio from J.S. Bach's Partita No. 3 in E major for Solo Violin.

Park, the Utah Symphony's assistant concertmaster, dove into the music with gusto. His tempo was brisk, his attacks were robust and the dynamic contrasts were bold. It was an eye- (and ear-) start.

Switching to the Stradivarius, and accompanied by pianist Larry Gee, Park gave a wondrous reading of Mozart's Adagio in E major, playing it exquisitely, eloquently capturing the delicate expressions and fluid lines.

Park matched his poetic playing of the Mozart in the poignant elegy from Gluck's opera "Orfeo ed Euridice," also on the Stradivarius.

The two showpieces on the recital were Maurice Ravel's Sonata for Violin and Piano (played on the Guarneri) and Pablo de Sarasate's "Introduction et Tarentelle" (played on the Stradivarius).

In both works, Park displayed his immense technique and consummate musicianship, giving a dynamic reading of the Ravel and a compelling account of the Sarasate.

There were also two short encores, both of which Park played brilliantly — Chopin's Nocturne in C sharp minor (in Nathan Milstein's arrangement) and the "Hora Staccato" (transcribed by Jascha Heifetz).

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