July 10, 2022

“Opening with Jean Cras’ ‘Suite en duo,’ Laurent and Hsu traversed every direction point, metaphorically, as they embraced the four-part showcase for harmonic and melodic melding in this particularly lovely pairing. Throughout, we feel their joy in building on each other’s call and answer stemming from a fragment of thought that grows into a fulsome conversation. Are they meeting up at a secret entryway to traverse around a garden, coming to a spot that calls out to them to dance?

…Hsu and Laurent joined again to meticulously embrace Camille Saint-Saens's totally magical ‘Fantaisie’ for Violin and Harp, Op. 124. This time we’re brought into a Baroque dance form where who leads and who follows switches between the two principals. The players were having way too much fun! And then I observed audience members stepping sprightly into the lobby for a brief intermission.

Hsu opened the second half with Eugene Ysaye’s Sonata No. 6 in E, Op. 27 for Solo Violin, totally embracing the Spanish Habanera style in which it is written. We were moving in our seats along with Hsu.

Originally composed for flute and guitar, Astor Piazzolla’s “Historie du tango” can’t get any better than the violin and harp pairing we were hearing. Fast, flirty, sultry, longing, we’re on the road from tango origins in the bordellos of Buenos Aires to worldwide embrace—in concert and dance halls alike. I didn’t notice anyone sitting passively.”

-Rita Kohn

Violinist Luke Hsu and Harpist Melanie Laurent | Arts | nuvo.newsnirvana.com