Timothy Andres & Gabriel Kahane

Classical music often suffers from an inherent inaccessibility—it is akin to an aristocrat, ever-clad in black tie attire, reeking of blatant pretentiousness and contrived gentility. Timothy “Timo” Andres and George Kahane do away with the tired, uptight conventions of the classical genre and keep a clean cut, pristine sound all the while. The duo charms the socks off the audience, lounging in leather couches between sets, sharing witty reflections on awkward audience applause, and freely exchanging light quips (Kahane asks, “So, do you guys like the rugs on stage?”).  While their fifteen piece selection features original Ives, Bach, and Kurtag works, Kahane and Andres’s compositions frequently punctuate the tried-and-true originals.

Andres is an undeniably versatile and precise pianist, flowing through Bach’s traditional styling in “Allein Gott in der Hoh sei Her” and his own modern, whimsical approach in “Some Connecticut Gospel.” Steady, unassuming, and mellow in musical demeanor, Andres gives a solid, unfaltering performance throughout the program. But Gabriel Kahane astounds. His vocals accompany all Charles Ives pieces and invigorate the otherwise one-dimensional performance; they resonate in every nook and cranny of the spacious Merkin Concert Hall. Kahane’s full-bodied, ever-so-slightly rough baritone is Josh Groban-meets-Mark Cohn: somber, rich, and piercing. “North Adams” and “Where are the arms,” both his original works, are the night’s stand-out pieces: two opposites that showcase his musical range. “North Adams” features semi-folky instrumentals studded with complex, metaphorical lyrics, reminiscent of the offbeat, floaty style pioneered by Sufjan Stevens (with whom Kahane has collaborated). The latter piece, to be publicly released later this year, is straightforward and sullen, but wholly transformative. Kahane strums a scarce set of chords over a pre-recorded background loop, and tones down his baritone to quietly deliver poignant, hymn-like lyrics. For three minutes, he turns an impersonal concert hall into an intimate, raw venue. Once it ends, Andres delves into another nondescript (but technically well-done) piano piece, which is perhaps not a bad thing—the alternation between Kahane’s solemnity and Andres’ solid exactitude keeps the air from becoming too heavy.

As artists in their own right, Timo Andres and Gabriel Kahane are nothing short of stellar. Together, Andres becomes Kahane’s accompanist, dutifully providing instrumentals while the latter’s vocals take hold of and captivate the audience’s ears. But their musical compatibility and on-stage harmony is unmistakable; their passion for the craft comes through without overly intense, brooding undertones. And for the record, yes, we loved the rugs.