An evening where music and space merged, and two musicians captivated the chapel and its audience with their passion.
On Saturday, September 20th, Klassiek in de Kapel organized a chamber music evening in the atmospheric and intimate Sint-Rochuskapel in Mariadal in Hoegaarden. Violinist Elsa de Lacerda and pianist Matthieu Idmtal, both masters of their craft, treated the listeners to three sonatas by Mozart (KV301, KV304, and KV296) and Grieg's compelling Third Sonata for violin and piano.
The chapel, with its warm and enveloping acoustics, proved to be the perfect setting for this recital. From the first notes, the music filled the entire space as if every stone of the chapel began to vibrate. De Lacerda and Idmtal turned the acoustics into an ally: their playing breathed into the space, and the space seemed to breathe back into their music.
Mozart's sonatas unfolded like three musical seasons. The Sonata KV301 in G major sounded like a fresh spring, light and elegant, with violin and piano playfully meeting each other like in an intimate conversation. The Sonata KV304 in D minor was entirely different—dark and charged, as if Mozart had given voice to autumn shadows. Here the musicians let the delicate intensity speak with a dramatic force that touched deeply. A brief pause afterward allowed time to breathe and reflect, before KV296 in C major filled the chapel with clear summer light. This sonata radiated vitality and sparkling energy, playful and transparent as sunlight filtering through glass.
With Grieg's Third Sonata for violin and piano, the atmosphere shifted. The lyrical melodies evoked images of green mountain landscapes and fresh forests, while stormy passages sounded like nature's fury descending from Norwegian fjords. Idmtal's piano sometimes thundered, then rippled like a stream, while de Lacerda's violin floated like a voice that alternately whispered, rejoiced, and lamented. There was a raw honesty and spontaneous power in their playing that left no one untouched. The audience was swept up in a tide of emotions, where quiet moments and fiery outbursts followed one another in rapid succession.
What made this evening so special was the blend of control and surrender. De Lacerda and Idmtal gave the notes aroma, color, and tangibility. Their connection, their passion, and their spontaneity ensured that the listeners remained captivated until the very last note.
As the final notes of Grieg faded away, silence broke for just a moment: the audience leapt to their feet and rewarded the musicians with a standing ovation. The thunderous applause continued for minutes on end, a well-deserved tribute to two exceptional artists who had completely transformed the Sint-Rochuskapel into a musical haven for one unforgettable evening.
