May 4, 2025
Ahavath Achim Synagogue
Atlanta, Georgia – USA
David Coucheron & Justin Bruns, violins; Zhenwei Shi & Yang-Yoon Kim, violas; Karen Freer, cello; Julie Coucheron, piano.
BRAHMS: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34
DVORAK: String Quintet No.3 in E-flat Major, Op. 97
Mark Gresham | 6 MAY 2025
In their final program of the season, the Georgian Chamber Players brought passion and polish to a Sunday afternoon performance at Ahavath Achim Synagogue, pairing Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34 and Dvořák’s String Quintet No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 97.
Violinists David Coucheron and Justin Bruns, violist Zhenwei Shi, cellist Karen Freer, and pianist Julie Coucheron opened the program with Brahms’ tempestuous, intricate Piano Quintet. Initially conceived as a string quintet, then a two-piano sonata, and ultimately as the piano quintet we know today, the piece reflects Brahms’ agonized process of compositional refinement. Its brooding tone and rigorous architecture demand cohesion and expressive range from its performers—which the ensemble delivered.
In the “Allegro non troppo,” the group resisted the temptation to rush, allowing Brahms’ stormy themes to develop organically and with ample space. The “Andante, un poco adagio” brought a sudden shift into hushed lyricism. The central theme, introduced with restraint by the strings and answered gently by the piano, unfurled with a confident calm. The movement’s somber middle section brought controlled intensity before resolving into repose.
For most concertgoers, the “Scherzo,” with its driving main theme, is the most recognizable of the set (and remains my personal favorite among them). The sudden veiled atmosphere of the trio section offered welcome contrast, only to be swept away by a surging reprise.
With its fugato and thematic transformations, the finale was a showcase of controlled tumult. While the architecture of the movement can risk feeling episodic, the players maintained structural clarity and their interpretive choices leaned into that—a welcome restraint that enhanced the movement’s formal dramatic urges.
l-r: David Coucheron, Justin Bruns, Karen Freer, Yang-Yoon Kim, and Zhenwei Shi perform Dvořák’s String Quintet No. 3 in E-flat Major. (credit: Mark Gresham)
After intermission, the stage reset for Dvořák’s String Quintet in E-flat Major, with violist Yang-Yoon Kim joining the other four string players. Composed in 1893 during the composer’s stay in Spillville, Iowa, the piece channels American folk elements through a Czech lens. The mood is lighter than the Brahms but no less rich in invention.
Where Brahms often seems to wrestle his material into submission, Dvořák dances with his, and the opening “Allegro non tanto” showcased lyrical phrasing and easy rapport among the group. The “Allegro vivo” second movement was brisk and rhythmic, a scherzo in all but name. Its syncopated drive—evocative of both Slavic dance and American rhythms—was handled with a light but confident touch. The trio section explored lighter textures.
The heart of the work lay in the “Larghetto,” where Dvořák’s gifts for melodic invention and harmonic subtlety shone most clearly, quietly nostalgic but without dragging. The “Allegro giusto” finale, a rondo built on a syncopated theme, brought the concert to a joyous close. The folk-like refrain bounced among the instruments, each musician taking turns in the spotlight, and the whole ensemble radiated collective ease.
In pairing these two significant works of the chamber canon, Sunday’s performance by the Georgian Chamber Players honored them both with high-caliber musicianship, leaving the audience with much to admire and reflect upon. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Pavel Kolesnikov: pavelkolesnikov.co.uk
- Spivey Hall: spiveyhall.org
Read more by Mark Gresham.
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