"While thousands of tiny lights transformed the entrance of the Sugden Theatre into something quite magical, four oh-so-special musicians transformed and transfixed the audience inside for 2 hours...The four musicians who charmed and enchanted the crowd call themselves Quartetto Gelato...The popular foursome filled the intimate theater to the rafters with their distinctive blend of instruments - and one voice. The young, Canadian-based foursome is about as multi-talented as they come. And their instruments: Where else would you hear a Belarus-born, world-class accordion player combine with a Irish jig-performing, glorious tenor-voiced violinist; an oboist who is a quick wit and and has mastered the deceptive art of playing without appearing to breathe; and the cellist playing a saw?..The audience, otherwise sedate and well-mannered, rewarded them with cheers, whistles and a much deserved standing ovation." - Peg Goldberg Longstreth, Dec. 15, 2005 "Light programming, like comedy, is serious business. Quartetto Gelato has the stuff. Dry humor and occasional clowning are part of the quartet's arsenal, yet first it meets the requisite virtues of skilled music-making. Its pleasure-giving is consistent." - Los Angeles Times "Charm, musical beauty, subtlety, wit and sophistication combine to make this classical cabaret CD a winner." - Stereo Review "If there were ever a group of musicians that could make anyone feel at home with classical music, Quartetto Gelato is it." - Newsday (NY) "Quartetto Gelato's performances have a warm, endearing vitality...." - The New York Times

QUARTETTO GELATO

Shalom Bard
clarinet

Peter De Sotto
tenor, violin, mandolin

Alexander Sevastian
accordion, piano

Elinor Frey
cello

Quartetto Gelato delightful
By Chuck Klaus/ Contributing writer The Post-Standard (Syracuse NY)

Sunday, August 27, 2006

The latest concert of the Skaneateles Festival bore the title "The Best of Quartetto Gelato."

But after hearing this group of four Canadian instrumentalists, one gets the distinct impression that whatever they play is their best. Even the lightest fare in this frothy concert put forth by the Skaneateles Festival was superbly well-played.

As to the Quartetto Gelato style, imagine going to a restaurant and hearing a sort of small "palm court" orchestra, playing pop songs, tangos and shorter classical selections. Now imagine that the group is composed of a spirited violinist with a sensitive tenor voice and a persistent sense of humor (Peter De Soto), a superb cellist (Elinor Frey), a fine clarinetist (Shalom Bard), and perhaps the best accordion player you'll ever hear (Alexander Sevastian.) Finally, imagine that there is no overpriced wine before you, and no distracting clatter of silverware or dishes.

That is Quartetto Gelato.

The Skaneateles High School Auditorium stood in for Brook Farm, but the loss in atmosphere yielded a gain in sound quality.

Beginning with Salerno's "Tango del Mare," the group was passionate in approach, flexible in performance, and nicely in sync with one another. De Soto's tenor was heard for the first time in the Velazquez song "Besame Mucho," and his arrangement of the traditional "Hungaria" was a hyper-animated delight, with musicians trading licks and trying to outdo one another in velocity. The evocative Gannon/Giraud song "Under Paris Skies" was like being whisked off to a sidewalk cafe on the Left Bank.

They all laughed when Alexander Sevastian began the well-known Toccata in D minor on his accordion, but once the man launched into his amazingly dexterous version of the Bach masterwork, the laughter was replaced by awe.

Another classical piece fared nearly as well, as the finale "gypsy" movement of the Brahms' Piano Quartet Op. 24 was given the Gelatto treatment and communicated just as fully in transcription as in the original piano and string version.

After intermission, things lightened considerably, with a Cuban jazz piece, a modern tango, and the traditional tune "Danny Boy," all sounding forth effectively. The major classical piece in this half was the final section of Carl Maria Von Weber's Konzertstuck, Op. 79 arranged by De Sotto and Sevastian. Here, the accordionist's flying fingers were little short of miraculous.

An encore of Romanian tunes brought this parade of musical confections to a spirited end.

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2006
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Dec. 18th, 2006

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