Concert Review - Duo Plays Lively Concert of Tango Music Cotik and Lin closely following each other, Cotik’s violin full of confident swagger. He handled the upward glissandi, gliding on a string from one pitch to another, with aplomb. The uptempos present gritty rhythms and harsh pointed melodies, while the slower songs emphasize melancholy and despair, usually through a lyrical solo voice. Lin’s haunting piano in “Milonga del Angel” supported Cotik, who coaxed the melancholy out of his instrument with nuanced passion. In a surprise move, Cotik and Lin gave voice to another composer who also stitched dissimilar musics together – this time blues, jazz and classical. They performed George Gershwin's Three Preludes(transcribed by Jascha Heifetz, handling the bluesy motif, syncopations and signature rhythms with obvious affection, passing a delightful melody back and forth with Gershwin-like playfulness. Cotik and Lin seamlessly turned all the corners of the piece and navigated the tempos like seasoned sailors. The joy continued with “Vardarito,” a happy little show tune type and “Escualo,” a delicious little tango, where the violin was racing stop and go against the piano, giving the animated duo a chance to romp. And romp they did. Cotik and Lin received a generous standing-o at the conclusion of the compact, dramatic and unrelenting “Libertango.” Lin was on point with the opening gallop, Cotik picked up the provocative melody, and both understood each other well, as they did all evening, traversing the explosive driving rhythm of this popular concert tango. Steve Gladstone READ MORE