The Week in Reviews, Op. 174: Anne Akiko Meyers, Philippe Quint, Benjamin Beilman

March 27, 2017, 12:34 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.

Anne Akiko Meyers premiered Rautavaara's Fantasia with the Kansas City Symphony.

The Kansas City Star: "The Kansas City Symphony and violinist Anne Akiko Meyers gave a loving, posthumous world premiere performance of Einojuhani Rautavaara’s final composition, 'Fantasia.'"

Anne Akiko Meyers. Photo by Nico Nordstrom.

Philippe Quint performed Vivaldi's Four Seasons with Santa Barbara Symphony.

Santa Barbara Independent: "Quint immediately demonstrated phenomenal control over the piece, bearing a genuine smile at the music’s unfolding narrative. It was riveting to witness such extraordinary talent bring to life Vivaldi’s famed piece, and it is clear that Quint was made for playing the Four Seasons."

Benjamin Beilman performed the Tchaikovsky with the Spokane Symphony.

The Spokesman-Review: "This was Beilman, determined to find the heart of Tchaikovsky’s beloved concerto and set it beating again...This approach was so brilliantly executed, and did so much to enhance the audience’s delight in the music of the first movement, that they found it impossible to observe the sacrosanct rule of silence when it came to a close."

Christian Tetzlaff performed the Dvorák with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Los Angeles Times: "The wide contrasts between wildness and contemplation continued with Christian Tetzlaff’s performance of the Dvorák Violin Concerto, which isn’t heard nearly as often as the composer’s Cello Concerto."

William Shaub performed a recital in Knoxville as part of a concertmaster audition.

Arts Knoxville: "This group of works was obviously designed to showcase the violinist’s ability to communicate coherent musical ideas across a range of stylistic diversity. This Shaub did brilliantly, offering a sensitive refined tone, nicely sculpted passagework, and skillfully executed string effects, backed up with technical precision."

Chee-Yun Kim performed the Beethoven with Music in the Mountains.

The Union: ".Seeing that virtuoso violinist live on stage while she demonstrated things I never thought a violin could do was indeed a most enjoyable and almost startling eye/ear opener which also gave me an added appreciation of Ludwig's genius."

Abigail Karr performed the Mendelssohn with the Brookline Symphony.

Boston Musical Intelligencer: "While she performs on modern and Baroque instruments alike, her style speaks strongly to a HIP affinity. Her playing of this concerto was far from the often heavyhanded, thoroughly Romantic versions that prevail. The tone was almost silvery, with far less vibrato and a lightness of bow that revealed a different kind of understanding of the work. In all other aspects her performance was equally fine, technique solid, intonation sure, and phrasing elegant."

Gabriel Lefkowitz performed the Brahms with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.

Knoxville Mercury: "Lefkowitz’s presence and leadership in the KSO’s first chair have been an obvious inspiration for his fellow players....Lefkowitz offered ... a sublime performance of milk and honey tones contrasted with broad swaths of spicy vinegar that kept the listener involved and intrigued—all carried out with splendid technique."

Angelo Xiang Yu performed Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.

Green Valley News: "Yu took to heart the advice of Prokofiev himself to 'Play it as if you were trying to convince somebody.' He is a master of the subtleties of both the instrument and this music. His chromatics were satiny, his pizzicati drilling, and his spiccato – bouncing the bow on the strings – a model for students and a joy to hear."

Rachel Barton Pine performed Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5

Violinist.com: "...for an encore Pine played Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst's "Last Rose of Summer" -- an audacious choice by any standard. ...the best thing about Pine's performance was not the technical wizardry itself - spellbinding though it was. It was that a beautiful and simple melody always shined through that flurry of notes and technique."

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