Dance & Music Reviews : Schubert Works Close Out ‘Vienna’ Series

Of all the things that might have served as a finale to the “Music From Vienna” series nothing would seem more apt, or inspired, or Gemutlich than a Schubertiade.

And that’s what the Chamber Music LA/Festival put on Sunday afternoon to close its seventh annual series at the Japan America Theatre: a program comprised of works Schubert wrote all in the last year of his young life, 1828.

The most unusual items turned out to be vehicles for Jonathan Mack and Dale Wendel, singers well known to the community.

In songs calling for an obbligato instrument, the tenor had a chance to demonstrate his fine Lied sensibility. He brought a sweet earnestness to “Auf dem Strom,” excelling in head tones and a dynamic range that hornist Richard Todd matched perfectly.

The soprano, however, still needs some practice in the genre. Her showpiece, “Der Hirt auf dem Felsen,” came out short on finesse, even though clarinetist Charles Neidich provided an example, but she showed mastery of the coloratura demands.

Pianist Shunsuke Kurakata ably accompanied both singers, elsewhere joining violinist Yukiko Kamei and cellist Jeffrey Solow for a rapturous E-flat Notturno.

After intermission, Kamei and Solow--with the addition of Nai Yuan Hu, Ko Iwasaki and Milton Thomas--gave an account of the C-major String Quintet that, while not the most mellifluous of blends, caught the hushed pulse of humanity that bespeaks Schubert and thus met the highest requirement.