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  Georgian Chamber Players enchant with season opener at eclectic Eddie’s Attic

  Posted by Music on November 16, 2023 at 8:52 pm

  CONCERT REVIEW:

  Georgian Chamber Players
  November 15, 2023
  Eddie’s Attic
  Decatur, GA – USA
  David Coucheron, violin; Zhenwei Shi, viola; Charae Kreuger, cello; Elizabeth Pridgen, piano; Julie Coucheron, piano.
  Tomaso Antonio VITALI: Chaconne in G minor
  Maurice RAVEL: La Valse
  Zoltán KODÁLY: Adagio
  Felix MENDELSSOHN: Piano Trio No. 1

  William Ford | 16 NOV 2023

  A violin, viola, cello, and piano walk into a bar. The bartender looks up and says, “Sorry, we don’t serve your kind here.” The instruments, feeling dejected, ask why. The bartender responds, “Because last time, you all got too keyed up and ended up stringing us along!”

  But seriously, the Georgian Chamber Players (GCP) took the small stage at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia, last evening. By their own admission from the stage, they had played the venue before, so they knew exactly what they were in for, but more on that later.

  The GCP is made up of violinist David Coucheron, violist Zhenwei Shi, and pianists Julie Coucheron and Elizabeth Pridgen. They were augmented by Charae Kruger on cello. The Coucherons are ubiquitous in the Atlanta classical music scene. Pridgen is the Artistic Director of the Atlanta Chamber Players, and Krueger is well-known for leading the cello section of the Atlanta Ballet and Opera Orchestras. Talented musicians all.

  So, what about Eddie’s Attic? It’s a smallish second-floor venue with an intimate stage for mostly pop/rock/country performers, both new and established, as well as several bars and a covered patio. The stage is in a corner of the room, demarcated only by black curtains in the background with an Eddie’s Attic Banner and light rigging. There is seating around the bar, and tables scattered around the floor.

  OK, so why would the GCP play at Eddie’s Attic? Several reasons come to mind. First, the crowd is a bit different than those that attend other GCP events at other venues. My informal eyeballing of the crowd suggested it was made up of die-hard GCP and classical music aficionados but also a substantial number of younger people who likely aren’t regular attendees at classical events. So, kudos to the GCP for reaching out to the community. The near-capacity audience was enthralled and appreciative. The intimate acoustics of Eddie’s are wonderful for experiencing the richness of a live, unamplified classical music ensemble.

  The program began with the Coucherons playing Tomaso Antonio Vitali’s Chaconne in G minor. The chaconne is a dance from the Baroque period in the 17th century, but Vitali’s piece was not published until 1867, a version that substitutes a piano for the continuo accompaniment. Given its Baroque-era composition, it does not have the characteristics one would expect of a piece of music of that vintage. There are numerous modulations, with few Baroque decorative elements like trills or terraced dynamics. Rather, it sounds more like a piece composed in the late 19th century. It is a beautiful work with poignant, melancholic harmonies. David Coucheron, never known as a shy player, made his 1723 Stradivarius sing and soar, although, at times, the top range of the instrument sounded a tad bright. Julie Coucheron also delivered a big performance matching the technical skill on the piano that her brother shows on the violin.

  

  Violinist David Coucheron performs Vitali’s “Chaconne” at Eddie’s Attic. (credit: William Ford)

  Next on the program was a four-hand piano version of Maurice Ravel’s popular La Valse, performed by Julie and Elizabeth Pridgen. Given the stage’s small scale and the grand piano’s space requirements, the two pianists were crowded, which seemed to energize them. Nothing describes this piece better than the composer’s own words:

  Through whirling clouds, waltzing couples may be faintly distinguished. The clouds gradually scatter: one sees an immense hall peopled with a whirling crowd at the letter ‘A’ (a rehearsal marking in the score). The scene is gradually illuminated. The light of the chandeliers bursts forth at the fortissimo at letter ’B.’ An imperial court, about 1855.”

  Ravel’s fully orchestrated version is full of rich color and flashing orchestration. In this arrangement, Ravel’s music is morphed by the percussive sound of the piano, making it sound a bit sinister and dark. Having heard this duo play the piece before, I think they have become even more confident, making the full manifestation of the waltz extremely powerful, in contrast to the vague, subdued introduction. These pianists have great physicality, and it was exhilarating watching Coucheron sweep left to right on the keyboard in a grand glissando while Pridgen made way for her.

  Next was Zoltán Kodály’s Adagio (1905), featuring violist Shi, with Coucheron on the piano. While originally composed for violin and piano, the composer modified it for various other instrumental combinations. Kodály was in the thrall of Brahms when he wrote the piece, and it has the rich harmonies and tonality of the older composer. It has three parts: two outer romantic sections and one quicker Hungarian-inspired central section. Shi’s performance was remarkable for its lyricism. His elegant, long fingers were precise on the fingerboard, and his bowing was equally adept.

  

  Violist Zhenwei Shi. Pianist Elizabeth Pridgen is behind him. (courtesy of GCP)

  The final work on the program was Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 (1839). Cellist Krueger joined the two Coucherons for this piece. This is one of the cornerstones of the chamber music canon and easily recognized for its melodies, ingenuity, and depth. The Trio has four movements, roughly in the traditional fast, slow, playful, and grand finale style. It is replete with melodies that many will recognize, even if they are not sure of the source. Here, the intimacy of Eddie’s acoustics helped bring home the music’s intensity- it was as if the musicians were playing in your own personal chamber. I couldn’t help but become disconnected from the moment and simply go wherever the music took me. It was a truly rewarding way to end a great concert by supremely talented musicians.

  Back to the question in the introduction: if the GCPs knew what they were in for at Eddie’s, should they have done it? Absolutely! It’s a great venue that makes the music sparkle and helps attract a slightly different audience to its relaxed atmosphere. I suggest they do it again!  ■

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  About the author:

  William Ford is an avid classical music fan and a clinical psychologist based in Atlanta. His reviews and interviews can most frequently be found online at Bachtrack and http://www.atlantamusiccritic.com

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