Staryk, Feeney Help Close Season For String Quartet

Violinist extraordinaire Steven Staryk and pianist Kendall Feeney are the guests of the Spokane String Quartet for the final concert of the group’s season, next Tuesday at The Met.

Feeney is known locally for several activities, most notably as performing director of Zephyr. Staryk has most recently been hanging his hat in Seattle as a faculty member of the University of Washington.

Staryk’s illustrious career, however, began long before his arrival in the Northwest. The Canadian-born violinist has served as concertmaster of three of the top orchestras in the world, the Royal Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony. He has performed on over 190 recordings; premiered piles of new compositions, including some written for and dedicated to him; participated in chamber music, including being a founding member of Quartet Canada, and has taught violinists who have gone on to orchestra and university positions worldwide.

The violinist will be accompanied by Feeney in works by Prokofiev, Leclair and Brahms. Prokofiev’s Sonata in D was originally written for flute and has been transcribed for the violin. It combines plenty of brilliance with Prokofiev’s gift for melody.

A contrasting Sonata in D is the contribution of Jean-Marie Leclair, a French violin virtuoso in the early part of the 18th century. Renowned for his pyrotechnics and multiple stops, Leclair is considered the founder of the French school of violin playing.

Brahms was young when he wrote his Sonatensatz for Joseph Joachim. It was his 20th year, 1853, when he first met both the virtuoso violinist and Robert and Clara Schumann. All were impressed by Brahms, the Schumanns liked his composition and Joachim appreciated his ability as an accompanist; they toured together for a time. It was Robert Schumann’s idea that he, Brahms and a student of Schumann’s, Albert Dietrich, should collaborate on a sonata for Joachim. Brahms’ contribution to the work was this Scherzo movement in C minor.

After the fiddle fireworks, the Spokane String Quartet will join with Staryk to perform Mozart’s String Quintet in G minor, K. 516. Kelly Farris will switch to viola to arrive at the desired combination for this work of two violins, two violas and cello.

The 1787 Quintet was written after Mozart’s 6 Haydn Quartets, in a period when he was at the top of his chamber music game. Writing for five voices was quite amenable to Mozart, and the ease is apparent in his harmonic and melodic invention. The minor key lends a seriousness to the work and all of the instruments are muted in the Adagio, but the Allegro finale turns to G major, giving it a lighter finish.

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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Violinist Steven Staryk and pianist Kendall Feeney will appear with the Spokane String Quartet on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at The Met. Tickets are $15 ($12 for seniors and students), available at The Met, Hoffman Music, Street Music, G&B Select-a-Seat outlets or call (800) 325-SEAT.