- Photo: Fred Collins
- Sharon Robinson, Jaime Laredo, Joseph Kalichstein
Was it the group or was it the space?
Actually, it was both. Last night’s Mixon Masters concert at the Cleveland Institute of Music featured a world-class chamber ensemble, the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, that turned in brilliant readings of Beethoven and Brahms standards and a lively, puckish version of a new work by André Previn.
But for this critic, hearing his first concert at Mixon Hall, it was the sound that was riveting. Designed for chamber music performances, the hall is at once intimate (just 235 seats) and expansive, with a five-story double glass wall at the back of the stage that overlooks a lush garden. Along the sides, tall wooden walls honeycombed with louver baffles create a remarkable acoustic environment. The music resonates from the hardwood stage with exceptional clarity, full with a deep bottom and crystalline high end.
Almost anyone would sound good in that space. Put a polished piano trio with 35 years of experience playing together in it, and you have a breathtaking evening of outstanding music.
