The Cliburn Concerts were scheduled to bring in Alisa Weilerstein this week, but she had to cancel. Not to worry, though; Joshua Roman should prove a more than adequate replacement. The 32-year-old Oklahoma City native is known for his repertoire ranging from contemporary composers (including himself) to Bach, which he has performed outdoors in a well-known YouTube series called “Everyday Bach.”
Along with Lithuanian pianist Andrius Zlabys, he’ll be playing Bach’s Second Cello Sonata and Brahms’ lush, plangent First Cello Sonata. However, we’re more interested in the more recent items on his bill, Alfred Schnittke’s First Cello Sonata and Arvo Pärt’s Fratres. Both written in the old Soviet Union, but they seem from two different planets. The German-descended Schnittke wrote wildly eclectic music that occasionally got him in trouble with Soviet authorities; his sonata is spiky and unruly. The Estonian Pärt, on the other hand, devised a rigorous structure for Fratres (which means “brothers”) to give this series of variations its shimmering harmonies and mystical allure. You can hear these at the Piano Pavilion this Thursday.
Joshua Roman plays at 7:30pm Thu at the Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd, FW. Tickets are $45. Call 817-332-8451.
