Each half of the concert began with a piece called "Rounds," first in a version for harpsichord (played by Oldfather) and then in a revision for piano (played by Berman). In both, the musical language is spiky and abstruse, with skittish motives threading through thickly clotted chords. There's a certain playfulness with which ideas appear and then submerge themselves into the musical flow.
The largest solo piano work on the program was the fourth of Berio's series of "Sequenzas." "Sequenza IV" plays like virtuoso fare for the intellectually inclined, with glinting colors, oddly swinging rhythms, and scampering runs. Yet there's also a sense in which Berio seems to be wondering what all of the acrobatics are really for. Oldfather's performance was completely mesmerizing.
A set of six encores, written over a period of 25 years, showed the composer's less frenzied side. The third, "Water-Piano," was gentle and poignant, the nostalgia heightened by its simple tonal language.
At the end of the evening came "Linea," a marvelously poetic work for two pianos, marimba, and vibraphone. It is sonically gorgeous, the instruments creating a warm, inviting space for a listener to inhabit. At times the music has an almost fairy-tale quality. Even at its most furious - a middle section for the pianists sounds like Liszt on amphetamines - the music retains a sense of grace and heart.
One immensely forgettable piece for prerecorded tape was included, for reasons not immediately clear. Written in the 1950s, it was receiving its American premiere, according to Collage's notes. Suffice it to say that it has not aged well.
Oldfather and Berman gave powerful, involved performances throughout. Craig McNutt and Nicholas Tolle were the percussionists for "Linea," which music director David Hoose conducted. The second and final Berio concert is Jan. 28, when the "Folk Songs," his greatest hit, will be performed.
