Note-Heavy but Noteworthy Program at USC

Musically engaging, fleet of finger and altogether virtuosic, flutist Eugenia Zukerman returned to Southern California on Tuesday night with a distinguished keyboard partner, Anthony Newman. The two gave a generous program on the eclectic concert/lecture series Spectrum, sponsored by the student body at USC.

The location was the acoustically lively University Church on the downtown campus. Flute and harpsichord resounded nicely in this room, but in the second half, a concert-size grand piano, full-voiced and tubby of sound, rang more than one might wish and made the flute’s contributions seem like a drowning obbligato.

Zukerman’s effortless playing, charming and handsome of tone, made works by Couperin, Bach, Blavet, Mozart and Czerny seem short indeed. Yet the overall impression of this agenda was an overabundance of notes. The closing piece, Czerny’s Duo Concertane, Opus 129, began to irritate the listener; the accumulated weight of all that had come before finally wore out one’s patience.

On the way to that point, the technically accomplished and note-honest Newman, a model of conscientious musicianship, had been an efficient, if not overly sensitive, collaborator. In the finale, his blithe rushing-forward, which made little allowance for savoring the music, at last spoiled one’s enjoyment of Czerny’s innocent cascades of notes.

The proffered encore let the listener leave the hall satisfied; it was a “Tambourin” by Gossec.