The Week in Reviews, Op. 81: Anne-Sophie Mutter, Joseph Swenson, Baiba Skride

Written by Laurie Niles
Published: May 5, 2015 at 9:17 PM [UTC]

Anne-Sophie Mutter performed the Berg and Moret's "En Rêve" with the New World Symphony.

• New York Times: "It was an inspiring statement, as well as a smart artistic choice."
• New York Classical Review: "The pleasure of hearing this tremendous musician play two of the finest violin concertos of the 20th century was equalled by the pleasure of hearing Tilson Thomas’ great orchestra. Mutter’s artistry is peerless, and hearing her in person constantly impresses how fine and rare is her musicianship."

Joseph Swenson. Photo by Jack Dine.

Joseph Swensen performed the Barber with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

• The Arts Desk: "...for the most part this was a performance carefully rehearsed and beautifully executed. It was tightly controlled, yet within Swensen’s structure there was room for spontaneity and lyricism."
• Herald Scotland: "... the City Hall was bathed in the Romantic warmth and open-hearted honesty of Swensen's gorgeous playing of Samuel Barber's luxurious Violin Concerto; and, for the record, I have never heard an account of the racing finale which so took my breath away, all without cornering on two wheels."

Baiba Skride performed Bartók's Violin Concerto No 2 with the London Symphony Orchestra.

• The Guardian: "A passionate, heart-on-sleeve player, she attacked the opening with such richness of tone that her Stradivarius sounded more like a viola than a violin. The subsequent swerves between lyricism and aggression were superbly negotiated."

Yuliya Smead performed the Bruch with the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra.

• WeAreGreebnBay.com: "Her playing neared the pristine."

Sarah Chang performed the Dvorak with the Auckland Philharmonia.

• Stuff Nation: "While we saw and heard flashes of brilliance and Chang's trademark clarity throughout the performance, something seemed out of place. Chang's body language on stage seemed to indicate discomfort with something, particularly in the first movement."
• The New Zealand Herald: "Last week, in an interview, the American violinist justified her obsession with haute couture as a desire for the audience to feast with eyes as well as ears. While a glittering Roberto Cavalli gown certainly delivered ritzy visual pleasure, what we heard was too often the equivalent of a rough and ready takeaway."

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