SHAWN LEOPARD AND JOHN PAUL AT ST. PHILIP'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH,
JANUARY 25, 2002

   Organ music transcribed for two harpsichords was featured, and, except
for Cabezon (1510-1566; Cancion religiosa), all the composers were of the
20th century. One might wonder at the audacity implicit in this project;
it was the baroque and not the modern era that was noted for the
"transportability" of music from one instrument to the next. Yet it
worked out wonderfully well. The two lautenwerck differed in sound enough
to allow very effective antiphonal interplay, especially in the Distler
Trio Sonata (Op. 18, #2). The Reger Six Trios (Op. 47) were varied, and
one, the Gigue, was almost Bach-like! That Reger - noted for a massive
style - wrote such delicate music was a revelation. The little-heard
Langlais Trio Sonata was a welcome contrast. The final piece,
Alain's Variations on a Theme of Clement Jannequin, at times had a
slightly Spanish flavor. This was a memorable performance by a
versatile and virtuosic duo.