Review: The Hall Ensemble

The Hall Ensemble tried out a new space on Tuesday night: the atrium of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT). The environs were certainly pleasant and the acoustics were surprisingly good, although not all sight lines were ideal.

The ensemble specializes in early music played on instruments of the time, or replicas thereof. Its regular members — violinist Jennifer Chang, violist Aleksandra Holowka, cellist Karen Hall and bassoonist Kevin Hall — were joined on this occasion by cellist Allan Steele. All are members of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

The most striking work of the evening was from the 20th century: Zoltán Kodály’s Duo, Opus 7, for violin and cello, which was played brilliantly by Chang and Steele.

The work is one of the 20th century’s masterpieces, although performances of it are rare, at least around here. An insistent two-note motif is a striking musical signature in the opening movement, the moving slow movement is almost spooky at times, and the finale makes a powerful impression that lingers.

The rest of the program was from earlier centuries. The opener was Le Phéníx by Michel Corrette, who lived from 1707-1795. This was done in an arrangement by Kevin Hall that turned it into a kind of concerto for bassoon with two jaunty outer movements surrounding a somewhat melancholy slow movement. Hall and his colleagues made a nice impression.

The same was true of François Devienne’s Quartet for Bassoon and Strings. His years were 1759-1803. The highlight of the quartet was a jolly finale that was full of toe-tapping, feel-good music.

The one universally known composer of the evening was Antonio Vivaldi, whose Concerto in G Minor for Two Cellos and Strings (plus a bassoon in Kevin Hall’s arrangement) made the usual impression: bracingly energetic outer movements and an appealing largo.

This story was originally published September 22, 2015 at 11:08 PM with the headline "Review: The Hall Ensemble."