Mesa-Yakushev Cello Piano Duo at 222

Thomas Mesa, Cuban-American cellist and Russian born pianist, Ilya Yakushev, performed for a delighted audience at THE 222 Gallery in Sonoma.  Both distinguished int'l artists are highly awarded performers.  Mesa won the Sphinx Medal of Excellence (2022).  He's performed with the SF Symphony under MTT and toured with Itzhak Perlman.  Ilya Yakushev has won the World Piano Competition (2005) in the US and the Gawon Int'l Music Society Award in South Korea.  Performing in THE 222's intimate setting, the two musicians were relaxed, engaging and bantered humorously with the audience and each other.  The program was bookended by Beethoven's Sonata No. 3 and Rachmaninoff's Sonata in G Minor for cello and piano.  In between were contemporary classical compositions,  SILBO (2021) by Andrea Casarrubios (b. 1988) and OBLIVION by Astor Piazza (1921-1992).   Also on the program was Claude Bolling's (1930-2020) GALOP for jazz trio.  To comprise a trio, recorded snare drum music for the score was added. Yakushev noted performing jazz was not something they did often.  The piece lacked a jazz aesthetic except for one interesting phrase that clashed within the composition.  My favorite piece was the newest work, SILBO (2021).  Mesa spoke of his friendship and admiration for cellist/composer, Casarrubios.  Mesa commissioned her earlier work, SEVEN (2020) a tribute to essential workers during the pandemic.  SILBO was a very haunting and elegiac piece.  The evening was very special thanks to the close proximity between performers and audience providing an immediate connection with the mechanics and techniques of the artists.  In SILBO, Mesa's fingering was low on the neck of his cello, moving along the strings above the body of the instrument emitting a pleasing, hollow screech. Mesa's exquisite instrument is a Nibble Gagliano cello, c. 1750.  Rare Violins of New York City is generously loaning this rare cello.  Flailing stray bow hairs could be observed.  Mesa deftly detached these gossamer hairs.  The piano's repetitive stanzas underscored the wavering complex melodies of the cello.  SILBO's alluring intensity was hypnotic.  The compactness within the gallery made the the vibrations on the bow discernible, the hum of piano keys visceral and the impact of the demanding multi-operational components of playing, profound.   Mesa happily shared facts on Rachmaninoff's life. His hands were extremely large  which he used to shield himself from paparazzi.  His early works were not met with critical success leading him to a depression treated in part with hypnotism.  Yakushev wanted to close and join everyone in a glass of wine.  He motioned with one hand tipping a glass to his mouth and the other to wrap things up.  The two shared a warm laugh and embrace after their encore and rousing ovation.