The Week in Reviews, Op. 303: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center; Leila Josefowicz; Isabelle Faust

December 24, 2019, 2:25 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.

Musicians from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center performed all six of Bach's Brandenburg Concerti.

Third Coast Review: "In the latest installment of what’s become an annual Yuletide tradition, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center gave a wonderful performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s six Brandenburg Concertos before a smaller than usual audience at the Harris Theater on Friday night. In doing so, they succeeded in accomplishing everything one hopes to see in a presentation of this challenging music...."

Leila Josefowicz performed Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in D with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

WTTW: "Josefowicz (whose love of jazz and improv clearly have had an influence on her approach) was on fire from the moment she arrived onstage. Her extraordinarily expressive face and body were totally wed to the demonically difficult concerto in which Stravinsky uses the instrument in often eccentric, groundbreaking ways (whether in terms of bowing or fingering), and taps into all its possible 'voices.'"

Isabelle Faust and Friends performed in recital at Wigmore Hall.

The Independent: "Under Faust’s leadership the band – brass, drums, and a double bass – play spiritedly."

Michael Shih performed the Brahms Violin Concerto with the Fort Worth Symphony.

Theater Jones: "...it was a pleasure to hear (concertmaster) Shih featured by the orchestra."

Benjamin Baker performed Elgar's Violin Concerto with the Ipswich Symphony Orchestra.

East Anglican Daily Times: "Soloist Benjamin Baker made an immediate impact on his entry and his warm tone, elegant phrasing and secure intonation never faltered."

Monique Mead performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra as part of 'Beethoven in the Face of Adversity.'

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "She aimed to perform the violin concerto 50 times in 250 days. On Monday, she concluded her 50-concert tour..."

Song of Names, movie about a violinist based on a novel by Norman Lebrecht, premieres in theatres.

New York Times: "There is much to admire in the fluidity of Girard’s storytelling, in the music (Ray Chen did the violin solos) and in the complicated questions raised about social obligations. Still, the movie never quite justifies the contrivance of its puzzle-box construction. "

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

Replies

Elisabeth Matesky

December 29, 2019 at 04:05 PM · Re ~ Leila Josefowicz w/CSO/Edo de Waart in Stravinsky's Violin Concerto en Re ( Symphony Center, Chicago )

To quote a Review from WTTW is quite surprising as PBS TV Channel 11, WTTW, hasn't normally offered Classical Music Critiques on air ~ It might behoove the Editor of Violinist.com, Laurie Niles, to check on this ... She runs a fine violinist.com website & if this 'review' is a verbal critique taken from one of our local 'Chicago Tonight' PBS Television News programme's, Laurie certainly deserves knowing the Source from whom it comes w/ the date it was uttered or written if not already 'in the loop' aware?

I know Leila Josefowicz's playing, having written about a violin recital she gave for the Chicago Stradivari Society, founded by now late Owner/co-Founder of Bein & Fushi, Geoffrey Fushi. Writing for the Strad in London, my review was published in '90's paper print format which was complimentary to the then younger violinist, Leila Josefowicz. Knowing Igor Stravinsky's vibrant Violin Concerto (also having been Maestro Stravinsly's Concertmaster for the West Coast Premiere of his only Opera, 'The Rakes Progress', at USC Bovard Auditorium in the mid 1960's, one has an abiding love for all of Stravinsky's works!) Assured Leila Josefowicz loves the Violin Concerto which is full of devilish violinistic passage work amid a 'red' Joie di vie spirit, it seems reasonable to check on Who verbalised the words above or wrote them in a Publication? We have superb Music Critics here in Chicago & I could 'snoop' to see if John von Rhein penned a Music Review in The Chicago Tribune following Thursday evening's Dec. 19th, 2019, Subscription Series first night Stravinsky Violin Concerto offering with the superb Dutch Conductor, Edo de Waart, conducting the CSO from the Symphony Center podium ~

Seeking authentic clarification in a deserved by Violinist, Leila Josefowicz, Music Critique, I'll try to rxport back or better yet, will wait awhile to see if there are any further developments from the fine Editor of Violinist.com, Laurie Niles ~

Wishing Violinist.com a banner New Year & Decade, 2020!!!

Elisabeth Matesky / Chicago *

*https://www.violinist.com/directory/bio.cfm?member=Milstein

This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.