The Week in Reviews, Op. 317: James Ehnes; Augustin Hadelich; Joshua Bell; Thomas Zehetmair

August 17, 2021, 1:25 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.

Violinist James Ehnes.

James Ehnes performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Aspen Festival Orchestra.

The Aspen Times: "Known for his admirable accuracy, Ehnes also drew out the human communication in Beethoven’s music. At a measured pace, the opening movement had plenty of space for phrases to bloom. "

Augustin Hadelich performed the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the Grant Park Orchestra.

Third Coast Review (TCR): "Hadelich’s mastery of the piece was greeted by a prolonged standing ovation from the audience, which he rewarded with a solo encore that was something completely different: Louisiana Blues Strut by Black composer Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson."

Joshua Bell performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Chicago Symphony at Ravinia.

Chicago Classical Review: "Bell’s phrasing naturally followed the architecture of Beethoven’s limpid writing, and the pristine tone he elicited from the Gibson Stradivarius was exquisite throughout. He played his own extroverted cadenza, which convincingly mined material from the movement for a brilliant show-off display. "

...and with the Sun Valley Festival Orchestra

Idaho Mountain Express: "Bell pushed his 1713 Stradivarius to the limits on Wednesday, toeing the line between athleticism and unbridled expression. (The $4 million instrument was likely put through a similar ordeal in 1844, when a young Joseph Joachim performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto with Felix Mendelssohn at the baton.) Performing his own cadenzas, or solo passages, Bell achieved a luminous tone with a powerful bow arm and perfectly executed octaves. As the principal conductor of London-based Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields Chamber Orchestra, the violinist found it impossible at times not to physically guide the orchestra, using his bow to lightly conduct alongside Neale."

Thomas Zehetmair performed the complete Bach Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin at the Salzburg Festival.

The New York Times: "Alone on the stage of the Great Hall of the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation...Mr. Zehetmair held the audience transfixed during the performance, which ran three and a half hours (with two intermissions). Of the musicians featured in the series, perhaps none has as deep a history with both this city and its signature musical event as Mr. Zehetmair, a Salzburg native who has been a familiar face at the festival since his 1977 debut here, at the age of 15."

Liza Ferschtman performed the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the BBC Philharmonic at the BBC Proms (subbing for Jennifer Pike).

The Times: "...I came to wish that her instrument would reveal greater interesting hues of its own, although her playing was never less than nimble and technically assured."

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