Tenor Door Van Bergen, just 18, and pianist Jef Kolacny, 22 years young, gave their first joint song recital, which immediately embraced the art song in full Romantic style under the theme 'between dream and memory'.
Schumann, Brahms, Schubert and Wolf—these are no small names among song composers, and it immediately raised the question: are these two musicians, especially the singer, not too young to pull off this musical feat? In the small acoustically dry room of the sports hall in Willebroek—actually an unsuitable venue, not only acoustically dead, but you also hear the air conditioning running and the cheerful cheers of kids playing sports in the room next to the 'concert hall'. This makes it harder for the musicians to stay focused. Whoever navigates this with a smile and seemingly undisturbed demonstrates the right genes of a true soloist.
After some nice coffee and croissants, it was time for a smooth welcome speech and some program notes, alternately given by both musicians. Right from the first notes of piano and voice, attention was commanded and it would not waver. Van Bergen's voice is still young, not quite refined in its upper range, lower range and volume, but you already hear plenty of warm, full, carrying tenor tones that are very promising. It also made me a bit apprehensive: isn't it presumptuous of the young enthusiastic singer to perform, indeed, Robert Schumann's complete song cycle Dichterliebe? With young singers there's always the risk of damaging their own, unique and irreplaceable instrument. You feel during the singing that Van Bergen knows how to hold back, he has excellent technique, his lungs don't fail him one bit, he has a very beautiful, clearly intelligible German accent and manages to skillfully bring the texts to life despite the voice's remaining limitations. By the way, it's well worth reading the poems themselves. Far too often insufficient attention is paid to them. Here you can find them
Jef Kolacny came across as a pianist who has been accompanying art song singers for y e a r s. Transparent, nothing rushed, calm tempos, restrained, and leading the singer whom he supports perfectly, with broad phrasing in every respect. He gave Door's voice the necessary rest and let the audience enjoy an intermezzo by Johannes Brahms. What could be more enchanting than romance in music, especially when the composition is of the highest quality and the performer is completely immersed in it? You long for more, but a program must simply go on. And it did with 'An den Mond' by Franz Schubert. One of his hundreds of songs that he, alongside countless other brilliant scores, composed in his oh-so-short life. Once again, Door Van Bergen struck a fragile balance appreciating this musical jewel as it deserves, and so did Jef Kolacny. Both talents continued making music with the same élan with Schumann's Widmung followed by seven songs from Hugo Wolf's Italienisches Liederbuch.
Two young musicians, two promises heading in the same musical direction, with their hearts in the right place, serving beauty that leaves no one untouched. We can only wish this young duo a musical career full of successes—successes that allow them to transform the true stories of composers and poets from the Romantic era into the touching language of joy and sorrow through word and music.
