David Allen Wehr

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It is not his hands I envy but their strength, their willingness to carry the passions of his art. All silver and lit glass his touch: a clarity of purpose, an embracing release of sounds entrapped by ink. Each note a moment given to air quicksilvered balanced on pointe. Not his hands -- but their graced surrender to an art that can know only those transient moments within air and time traced in gestures. J. A. Jablonski © 2008 Recital, El Paso, Texas, November 27, 2007 (El Paso Incorporated) Pro-Musica pianist returns with eclectic program: By Betty Ligon In the music world, keeping in touch with old friends can be good for business. Zuill Bailey, artistic director of El Paso Pro Musica, can attest to that. Last season he called on a friend, pianist David Allen Wehr, to fill a performance date vacated suddenly by guest artist Andreas Haeffliger, who busted a finger. Wehr took the 48-hour challenge and played a great Beethoven recital a year ago in April. So I was prepared to be overwhelmed by his artistry again, this time by his eclectic programming. He ’s a man of all musical kinds and seasons. Last week he distinguished himself at the UTEP Recital Hall performing piano powerhouses from Chopin to jazz. His first offering was a delicate Charles Griffes ’ White Peacock from Roman Sketches not often heard in recitals around here. Wehr talks as well as he plays the piano. His schtick is communicating bits of information about the composer and the work before it ’s played. Griffes admired the graceful white peacocks on his travels in Italy and put their unique sound to music. Wehr seems to revel in threes. The Estampes (Engravings) by Claude Debussy were inspired by Islam, Pagodas; Evening in Granada, Spain; and Garden in the Rain, France. He pointed out that the Franco Debussy never visited Spain. As he laced into the works, his fingers danced on the keys like water on a hot stove, each note pealing its own distinct ring. Wehr demonstrated a smart way to keep applause from breaking out between each short Estampes and those following on the program. He kept his hands elevated above the last notes he touched before proceeding with the next piece. That was a series of Frederic Chopin Nocturnes, replete with coloristic style and a requisite sense of romance. They were the B-flat minor, op. No. 1, awash in important intent; the E-sharp major, op. 15, No. 2, with dreamy sensitivity; and E minor, op. 72, No. 1, featuring a lovely melody. Wehr added the popular Chopin (Heroic) Polonaise in A-flat major, op. 53 that took no prisoners, as intense and restless in its emotions as one could wish for. His strong delivery included the spellbinding ability to drum the left hand softly while the right hand operated on high octane to wind up in a hair-raising finish. In a surprising change of mood, Wehr showed off his formidable talent to elevate jazz to its syncopated level in what he described as “a palate cleansing. ” He described his friendship with Joe Utterback, contemporary composer of the three flamboyant works that swept the audience to standing enthusiasm. Candlelight Blues from Jazz Bagatelles was bluesy and mellow.

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