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The Week in Reviews, Op. 96: Joshua Bell; James Ehnes; Julian Rachlin

August 25, 2015, 2:14 PM · In an effort to promote the coverage of live violin performance, Violinist.com each week presents links to reviews of notable concerts and recitals around the world.

Joshua Bell performed works by Bach and Milone with the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra.

• The New York Times: "Before beginning the piece, Mr. Bell said that for 'those of you who think Bach would turn in his grave' to hear these 'strange harmonies' added to his Chaconne, 'the good news is that we’re playing it again tomorrow.' So, he added, 'Bach will turn back over.'"

James Ehnes performed the Beethoven with the Grant Park Orchestra.

• Chicago Classical Review: "The Canadian violinist is an undeniably first-class artist as he showed once again, with playing that was supremely polished and immaculate throughout."

Julian Rachlin performed the Sibelius with the BBC Scottish Symphony.

• The Independent: "...the high-point of the evening was Julian Rachlin’s performance as soloist in the Violin Concerto: perfectly crafted and presented with grace and fire. Rachlin’s brilliant Ysaÿe encore brought the house down."

Nikolaj Znaider performed the Brahms with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra.

• The Guardian: "Copenhagen-born Nikolaj Znaider soared through the solo part, including a crazily difficult cadenza by Jascha Heifetz, with gargantuan tone and some old-fashioned slides."
• The Arts Desk: "The sound quality, the near-perfect intonation with which Nikolay Znaider wields his Kreisler Guarneri “Del Gesù” is only the half of it; hearing such close work with an orchestra and conductor equally alert to every small detail without ever losing sight of long lines is the kind of thing I can only count on the fingers of one hand in terms of the total concerto experience."
• The Telegraph: "Znaider’s playing was almost impossibly sweet-toned, but powerful and jaw-droppingly virtuosic too when required. 'Denmark is not just Lego and pastry,' he remarked coolly before his Bach encore."
• Evening Standard: "Having dispatched an accomplished Brahms Violin Concerto, Nikolaj Znaider defied a BBC injunction to play a Bach Sarabande as an encore. I hope he’s invited back nevertheless."

Pinchas Zukerman performed the Brahms with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra

• The West Australian: "Brahms’ Violin Concerto was performed by Pinchas Zukerman with an extraordinarily bold, flexible sound. The heart of the performance was his seemingly effortless cadenza with its smooth scales and feather-like high trills."

Alexandra Soumm performed Bernstein's Serenade with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

• Los Angeles Times: "A robust violinist, Soumm played the solo part on a grand scale that was all artery-clogging bad cholesterol, as though it were another meat-and-potatoes Russian violin concerto."

Andrew Haveron performed the Sibelius with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.

• The Sydney Morning Herald: "Soloist Andrew Haveron seized the Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor and flew through the score with passion and at times, moving tenderness."

Please support music in your community by attending a concert or recital whenever you can!

You might also like:

• Interview with Julian Rachlin: bows, viola, conducting and more
• Violinist.com interview with Joshua Bell
• Violinist.com interview with James Ehnes

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