The Week in Reviews, Op. 220: Leila Josefowicz; Augustin Hadelich; Alexi Kenney

March 5, 2018, 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.

Leila Josefowicz performed Adams’s Scheherazade.2 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Boston Globe: "Thursday night’s performance was a knockout. Josefowicz’s gymnastic playing demonstrated more than fearless virtuosity and commitment; it showed an internalization, an almost-physical acquiring of this music on a cellular level. When Gilbert finally lowered his baton at the end of the nearly 50-minute performance, the ovation was instant and vociferous."
The Boston Musical Intelligencer: "Josefowicz...did answer the question what makes the young woman wise, exploiting as she did the full technical and emotional resources of her instrument. It’s hard to imagine another violinist (Gil Shaham? Hilary Hahn?) bringing this degree of spontaneity and ferocity to the piece."

Leila Josefowicz. Photo by Chris Lee.

Augustin Hadelich performed Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Atlanta Symphony Orchestra patrons already know Hadelich is the most thrilling guest violinist the symphony brings to Atlanta, so his technical mastery and luminous tone should be no surprise."
Arts ATL: "Hadelich, with a firm-footed stance, leaned forward as if pushing into the music itself, making his violin’s presence in the music stand out boldly against the challenge of the orchestral imperative provided by de Waart and the ASO, offering up a truly thrilling performance."

Alexi Kenney performed Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

The Columbus Dispatch: "Violin soloist Alexi Kenney was a brilliantly understated soloist in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3, K. 216, his interpretation unmarred by any pretense or artifice. His flawless technique and the masterful tempo and feel of Falletta’s beat brought light and air to the concerto’s first movement, where Kenney’s cadenza eschewed pyrotechnics in favor of impeccable clarity of expression."

Alexander Barantschik performed Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 2 with the San Francisco Symphony.

The Berkeley Daily Planet: "Throughout this concerto, conductor Heras-Casado and violinist Barantschik were well teamed together; and theirs was a very rewarding and enjoyable interpretation of this infrequently heard Violin Concerto No. 2 by (Shostakovich)."

Valerij Sokolov performed the Brahms with the Staatskapelle Weimar.

Worcester Telegram: "Sokolov played the Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D major with sublime artistry; beautifully shaped phrases, sensitive interpretation, complete command of the score and a stunning cadenza earned him a well-deserved standing ovation."

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Replies

Dorian Fu

March 5, 2018 at 11:42 PM · Oh dear...Schoenberg second violin concerto doesn't exist. Barantschik played Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 2.

If the reviewer can't even get Schoenberg and Shostakovich straight, not sure how much journalistic value there is in this "review"...

John C

March 6, 2018 at 01:11 AM · Not sure how that happened. The reviewer is clearly talking about Shostakovich's No. 2, and he gets it right later in the review.

My favorite part of the review? While Ravel's Bolero has been called a number of things, that's the first time I've ever seen it referred to as "extremely distasteful." :)

Laurie Niles

March 6, 2018 at 08:49 PM · I wondered about that, Dorian! Thanks for letting me know about the reviewer's error, I will at least fix it here!

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