Avi Avital and Jennifer Marten-Smith

Israeli Avi Avital, must have been looking forward to reconnecting with his colleague and friend, Italian Giovanni Sollima. The occasion was the much anticipated concert of mandolin and cello at the Hobart Town Hall on the evening of September 19^th. Instead, Avital spent the morning in rehearsal with acclaimed local concert pianist, Jennifer Marten-Smith.

It is a testament to the ability of these two consummate musicians that such sympathy and synergy was achieved in a period of such brief acquaintance. The revised programme was entirely different from the advertised one and yet Avital was able to perform most of it from memory.

The balance between piano and mandolin was perfect. The piano offered support and dialogue but never overwhelmed, allowing the timbral range of the mandolin to be appreciated. Avital is a passionate performer, who holds his instrument in a rapturous embrace. Clear and delicate tones rang into the hall yet Avital was not afraid to punish the strings like a rock star, rapping on the body, strumming on the lower side of the bridge, and using only the fret hand to produce sound. The instrument was used very expressively and was, consequently, frequently retuned, even between movements and during performance.

The programme opened with the six short movements of Bartok’s Romanian Folk Dances (Sz. 56). Originally played on fiddle or flute, this work arranged for mandolin was exciting and varied. Avital and Marten-Smith powered through the more rhythmic of the movements and exhibited excellent rubato in others. The compass of the mandolin became apparent as Avital explored the extremes of the mandolin’s range, tone and volume.

Mozart’s Sonata for Piano and Violin in E minor (K. 304) was a surprising contrast. The mandolin has eight strings which duplicate those of a violin making the work an excellent choice. There was implicit communication between the performers and moments of delicious tension and release in this classical work. It is important to note that Avital is the first mandolin soloist to be nominated for a Grammy proving that the mandolin is more than a folk instrument.

Avital honoured his friend, Sollima, with a work composed by him. This work gave further scope for Avital’s virtuosity with rapid runs and aggressive fretboard gymnastics that evoked guitar technique.

The highlight for this reviewer was the group Seven Popular Spanish Songs by Manuel de Falla, familiar to most as a vocal work. The mandolin was able to effectively evoke the plaintive and despairing moments of the piece. Whilst tremolo on the mandolin gives a full and continuous sound to long notes, it was a very different experience to hearing a mezzo soprano sing the Spanish text. The piece is known for difficult rhythms and changes of time signature which were adeptly handled between piano and soloist. The Asturiana (III) and Nana (V) were the movements where the legato of a voice was compromised by the tremolo but there were other movements where the mandolin took some of the lines usually given to the accompaniment with great effect, for example the Jota (IV).  The cross rhythms in Nana had a particular beauty.

The evening concluded with Three Jewish dances by Marc Lavry (op. 192). The Sher (I) was characterised by rapid passages, the Yemenite Wedding dance (II) was exotically beautiful and the final movement, the Hora, galloped home.

The encore was a fun Bebop piece. Marten-Smith pumped out a driving left hand riff which she embellished in her right hand.  This entirely delightful evening concluded with a joyous rollick into jazz.

Avital and Marten-Smith executed and amazing feat in putting together this concert at such short notice. Sollima, still in Italy, is wished a speedy recovery. COVID is no respecter of persons or performers.

Anne Blythe-Cooper

Photographer: Mark Gambino