Marianne Gedigian seizes audience hearts at UT Arlington guest recital
The first piece on the program was the irresistible Franck Violin Sonata transcribed for the flute, in which Gedigian enchanted the hearts of her audience. Marianne Gedigian has the innate ability to communicate her music directly to the heart. Throughout the sonata, her thick, suede tone carried throughout the hall, caressing the honeyed phrasings of the sonata. Her subtle artistic decisions, such as her pianissimos in the high register, dense low tones, and conscientious rubatos, effused raw emotion, piloting her audience through rapid flashback memories of happiness, trauma, longing, and conciliation.
The sonata, especially the aching fourth movement Allegretto poco mosso, felt as if she was speaking directly to each audience member, intimately sharing her personal life. Far from ostentatious, her stage presence was incredibly humble and sincere; her dark tone was tangibly dense and earnest. By the time she finished with a poignant high A, her audience's hearts were shattered. Eyes were brimming with tears.
As Marianne briefly departed the stage for a short pause, her audience was left in shock from the emotional rollercoaster she had taken them on. Others anxiously whispered in anticipation, eager to know what she would provide for the remainder of the recital.
What followed next was essentially icing on the cake. Less than ten minutes later, Gedigian entered the stage once more to perform the Sonata in C Major by Gaetano Donizetti. It was at this point that Marianne Gedigian and Gabriel Sanchez's true virtuosity became uncloaked. To them, the remaining pieces were a walk in the park. She played with a magniloquent tone, streaked with beautiful lines and phrases. Together their conjoining sounds pranced about, facetiously quipping and gliding up and down the runs with ease. Both artists could have executed the remaining program with their eyes closed, and it would have come along just as musically sound.
The next piece, Spiral Lament by Ian Clarke, was a convalescent tune, reflective of the long, decelerate nature of the African giant snail. Her impressive consistency and range of colors allowed her to dolefully express the piece.
Finally, the program ended with a flourishing Fantasie for Flute and Piano by Gabriel Faure. Sanchez notably did an amazing job allowing Gedigian's ability to shine, filled with demanding interval leaps and scintillating double-tongued runs. Sanchez's accuracy, command, and ease on the keyboard were second to none.
At her last note, a resolute high E, the crowd erupted into a thunderous standing ovation. Won Lee and I lept up still cheering and weeping, wiping the residual tears from our eyes. One cannot describe Marianne Gedigian's performance with no other words than absolutely stunning. Marianne Gedigian truly is one of the finest flutists of our generation.
Photo courtesy Chelsea Tanner
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