Partners in Progression

When it comes to Beethoven's music for piano and cello, New York has had a good little run. In April, András Schiff and Miklós Perényi played the complete works at the 92nd St. Y. And, on Friday night at the Metropolitan Museum, Simone Dinnerstein and Zuill Bailey played the complete sonatas. (Beethoven also wrote some sets of variations.)

The crowd for Friday night's concert was capacity, spilling over onto the stage. There were also people standing in the back. Haven't these people heard? Don't they know that classical music is supposed to be dead? The critics keep telling them, but they don't listen. We're supposed to be done with Beethoven, Mozart, and those musty old men. If anything, we're supposed to want Stockhausen, Wuorinen, and Nono.

No, no.

Ms. Dinnerstein and Mr. Bailey played the Beethoven sonatas in order, 1 through 5. They did not feel a need to depart from the chronological, in order to vary key, mood, etc. And they were right. Besides, one could observe Beethoven's progression.

She is a solid young pianist, Ms. Dinnerstein, accomplished in technique and thought. She has a strong sense of line, following the contours of a piece. On Friday night, you could have quarreled with her here and there: For example, did her playing in the opening Adagio of the G-minor have to be so aggressive and punchy? What happened to her lyricism? And occasionally she stiffened in her passagework, as happens.

But any complaints are relatively small: Ms. Dinnerstein is a mature and capable pianist — more than that, she's a musician.

As for the cellist, Mr. Bailey, first a note about appearance — indeed, a tonsorial note: He has long black hair, below his shoulders — Tarzan hair. If he were a tenor, he would be cast in every role there is. Are we sure he can't sing?

In the Beethoven sonatas, he did some singing, and he proved a sensible cellist all around. He is given to nothing eccentric. His sound was always adequate — but you occasionally wanted it brighter, or more alive. Or less thin. Also, he could have used a wider range of colors. And his intonation was not always secure.

But Mr. Bailey was completely unobjectionable, and often admirable. Perhaps his best moment came in the slow movement of the D-major sonata — where his singing was really beautiful, smart, and satisfying.

Ms. Dinnerstein and Mr. Bailey are good partners, working hand in glove. A couple of examples: In the first movement of the F-major sonata, the transition from the Adagio to the Allegro was just right. And the two players talked happily and pointedly in the Dmajor's fugue.

But the piano dominated this evening. Often it felt like a piano recital with cello obbligato — and this is no shame on Mr. Bailey. Beethoven, the master pianist, more or less arranged things that way. Same goes for his "violin" sonatas, or many of them. Cellists and violinists the world over simply have to swallow it.

In the crowd at the Met Museum were many little kids, one girl particularly adorable in her ruby dress and white tights. They heard a good concert of Beethoven. Was it too much Beethoven, these two and a half hours? For most of us, no. You're as likely to tire of Beethoven as you are of your best friend. And Beethoven is one of the best friends you'll ever have.