As the last words of the announcement echoed and died throughout Rackham, I could hear most everybody around me quietly commenting on the big disappointment of finding out that Baji would not be performing. Having just listened to one of the Brothers' releases, "Rhythms," I was definitely feeling that same disappointment as the lights dimmed.
On stage, a door at the base of one of the pillars opened, and out came the two Brazilians. They set an all-business tone that lasted throughout the show: After a few waves to the crowd and a few formal bows of appreciation for the applause the audience gave, they set to work.
Overall, the full recital prepared by the Assad Brothers was quite respectable, given the short-notice cancellation of their sister.
The two brothers, having played with each other all of their lives, displayed an amazing sense of cohesion. Not only did each brother know the exact instants that the other would be playing, but each also knew how the music would be played. They understood each other's style, feelings and emotions, and because of this, the two were wonderfully in sync.
Also, the sound was spectacular. The dynamics of volume were done quite nicely. Throughout the show, even during some incredibly fast pieces, the brothers maintained a clear sound.
Of course, though, there is a "but." The conditional is that they were great, but only on the pieces they had planned on playing. The new additions to the program, while not bad, were slightly better than mediocre.
While the original selections were memorized, the duo unprofessionally, but understandably, had music stands and sheet music out to aid them with the remaining pieces.
And, while the duo clearly was on the ball with the original selections, playing with the aforementioned musical bond between each other, the fire between them was much more minimal and tame with the other selections (with the exception of the concert opener).
Another let-down was the arrangement ability of Sergio Assad. The arrangements seemed to have lost the style of the original composers when put to the guitars of the Assad Brothers.
Although interesting, the pieces originally written for the solo harpsichord did not work nearly as well as guitar duets.
At some points, the counter melodies were lost, and the shape and direction maintained by the original pieces seemed quite vague.
On an embarrassing note, at the end of the concert the two brothers walked off stage, and many audience members stood to collect their things and leave.
Returning to the stage to play an encore piece, the Assad Brothers came back on stage to play with people filling the aisles to leave.
Although partially due to the quickness of the Assad Brothers to get back onto the stage to play the piece, the embarrassment was more a result of some rude audience members leaving in a very lazy and unhurried fashion.
Shuffling out, they were most definitely a distraction to the listeners as well as the performers.
The evening was marred by the absence of Baji Assad, and the little things just seemed to come out of the woodwork to make the third appearance of the Assad Brothers under UMS auspices a little less than great.
It is difficult to make a judgement call on the Assad Brothers, given that half their program appeared as a result of their sister's cancellation.
But if they had been better prepared for the recital, the two would have presented a concert worth hearing.