By Paul Sayegh

Correspondent

NORFOLK

The Virginia Arts Festival presented three familiar artists on Wednesday evening: pianist Andre-Michel Schub, violinist Cho-Liang Lin, and cellist Gary Hoffman. Of chief interest was the local premiere of Joan Tower's "Trio Cavany," a work commissioned by the Arts Festival, New York's Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the La Jolla Music Society.

"Trio Cavany" received its premiere in August in La Jolla. Tower was supposed to be present for the Virginia performance, but because of a leg injury suffered in a fall she was unable to travel to Norfolk. She did speak briefly about the piece via telephone from her home in New York.

Tower celebrates her 70th birthday this year, and is now in the enviable position of being one of America's most celebrated composers, whose works are sought by performers and applauded by audiences.

"Trio Cavany" is no exception (the title is an anagram of the three states of its commissioning organizations - California, Virginia and New York). In one movement lasting 20 minutes, the work opens with a high violin line, played softly. The theme has a yearning quality, and soon gets passed to the cello, which also plays it initially in a high register before descending to a lower range and a louder dynamic. It is some time before the piano enters, also with this theme, now varied and again played louder and more intensely.

In fact, "intensity" is the keyword of this work. Through different sections that differ in dynamics as well as tempo, Tower builds an intense, dramatic structure that drives the work forward to a powerful conclusion. While the musical argument may not be crystal clear at every moment, what is always apparent is Tower's ability to engage the listener, even when the sounds are dissonant and challenging. The trio of musicians sounded comfortable with Tower's writing, projecting an enormous variety of sound and color.

For the most part, the trio also sounded at ease in the evening's concluding work, the Dvorak "Piano Trio in F minor, Op. 65." This meant that the second movement "Allegretto grazioso" was given a light, rhythmic edge that displayed Lin's attractive mix of elegance and bite. Schub offered some highly attractive soft playing, and Hoffmann was warm and full-toned in his solos.

Even better was the heartfelt slow movement, featuring beautiful playing by the ensemble, with well judged balances. The expert finale added the pleasure of hearing Dvorak's lively rhythms crisply presented.

Unfortunately, the opening movement was less ingratiating, with loud, raucous playing that gave the impression the musicians had misjudged the amount of sound they needed to make in this relatively small space.

The evening opened with Beethoven's "Variations in E-flat Major, Op. 44," given a cheerful reading that was enjoyable for refusing to inflate the piece beyond its modest dimensions.

Paul Sayegh, psmusic@cox.net