SOUNDS AND VIEWS: Plishka and Hrynkiw stellar (04/21/02)

SOUNDS AND VIEWS

by Roman Sawycky

Plishka and Hrynkiw stellar

Long in preparation but postponed due to tragic events in Lower Manhattan, the benefit concert for the Shevchenko Scientific Society's Scholarship Fund took place on March 21 at India House in New York. Showcasing the international team of Paul Plishka, basso, and Thomas Hrynkiw, pianist, the recital filled the Marine Room of India House, a national historic landmark, and was a complete success, as well as a cultural landmark in the history of the Ukrainian American community.

The printed program included notes on the origins and purpose of India House within Manhattan's business community. Following a welcoming address by host George Gregor, president of the clubhouse, and opening remarks by Dr. Laryssa Onyshkevych, president of the Shevchenko Scientific Society, the recital commenced with what turned out to be a tasteful and well-balanced program of Ukrainian, Austrian and American music. The Marine Room's decor with a color scheme of pale/dark green plus off white added to the elegance of the proceedings.

The genuine stylistic definition of Mozart's "Non Piu Andrai" (from "Le Nozze di Figaro") and Schubert's "Erlkonig" (Goethe) set the prevailing authoritative tone for the evening's soloist. Mr. Plishka's artistry and well-staged dramatic skills (in "Erlkonig") were sound paintings aptly framed by accompanist Hrynkiw.

The central part of the program featured three Ukrainian composers. Mr. Hrynkiw apparently premiered "Ukrainka" by the little-known Osyp Vytvytskyi (1813-1866), whose salon music fit admirably into the surrounding ambiance. While deceptively simple, "Ukrainka" exuded charm and gentle magic in the overall ethnic fantasy frame. Fast becoming Mr. Hrynkiw's signature work is Nestor Nyzhankivsky's grand "Variations on a Ukrainian Theme." Once championed by the legendary dame Lubka Kolessa, these Variations are rarely heard today due to severe technical demands on the pianist. In Mr. Hrynkiw's hands, however, the piece took off in a note-perfect virtuoso flight one would wish to have on CD.

The final Ukrainian composer on the program was Mykola Lysenko, founder of the professional/national trend in Ukraine's music. Mr. Plishka's interpretations of his art songs "Bezmezhneye Pole" (Boundless Field, lyrics by Ivan Franko) and "Mynayut Dni" (Days Pass, lyrics by Taras Shevchenko) once again brought to the fore the soloist's dramatic gifts and commitment to this music.

National poet Shevchenko wrote "Days Pass" for diaspora Ukrainians, chiding them for "sleeping in freedom" and complacency. Such pertinent lines found an ideal exponent in the Ukrainian American basso Mr. Plishka. Any alteration in Mr. Plishka's voice through the years apparently did not affect the inner conviction and earnestness with which he still projects this music and verse. (After listening to Mr. Plishka's recordings of Lysenko and his pronunciation of Shevchenko's lyrics, Ukraine's composer-laureate Mykola Kolessa found it hard to believe the singer does not have a command of the language in everyday conversation.)

The genius of Mozart both began and ended this program (Madamina aria from "Don Giovanni"). Yet, towards the conclusion of the concert, the post-romantic "Blue Mountain Ballads" (texts by Tennessee Williams) by a student of Aaron Copland, composer and novelist Paul Bowles (born 1910) were especially well evaluated by Mr. Plishka. This attractive cycle of American program music was most fitting as presented in Manhattan's India House.

The concert grand piano provided by Yamaha contributed to the full enjoyment of this rare event. Kudos are due to Daria Dykyj, who headed the benefit committee, as well as to musicologist and attorney Dr. Andrij Szul for coordinating and supervising all the music details of this project since the summer of 2001.

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