Violinist Francesca dePasquale returned to the stage of the WCR Center for the Arts Friday night for a concert, presented by the Friends of Chamber Music of Reading. Coming from a family of distinguished musicians...dePasquale could be expected to be talented. But dePasquale is much more than that; she is a stunning artist with her very own individual style, taste, and sound.
When she stepped out to open her concert with J.S. Bach's "Ciaccona" from the Partita no. 2 in D minor, unaccompanied, from the first powerful attacks and subsequent full, glorious sound, the audience could tell they were in for an exciting ride. Her robust lower range and very sweet upper range sometimes produced the illusion of a duet during an enthralling performance of this great work, which was like a dramatic monologue throughout most of its length. Contemplation, praise, nobility, even some anger were projected through her acute bow work, which seemed to cut straight to the bone.
