The Week in Reviews, Op. 353: Rachel Barton Pine; Pinchas Zukerman subs for Itzhak Perlman; Daniel Hope & Paul Neubauer

May 17, 2022, 12:51 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 Rachel Barton Pine.

Rachel Barton Pine performed Joseph Bologne's Violin Concerto in A Major with Apollo’s Fire.

Chicago Classical Review: "Barton Pine, playing an unmodernized violin from 1770, was masterful in this feat of endurance and finesse."

Pinchas Zukerman performed as soloist and conductor with the Houston Symphony, subbing for Itzhak Perlman who canceled after testing positive for COVID.

Houston Chronicle Preview: "Zukerman proved a meticulous, attentive conductor, tracing dynamic arcs with his left hand while consistently stoking the music’s torrid emotions."

* Wishing Mr. Perlman well!

Daniel Hope and violist Paul Neubauer performed Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with the New Century Chamber Orchestra.

San Francisco Classical Voice: "Hope and Neubauer were in sweet accord from the start, their singing voices responding to each other and blending in limber passagework and limpid parallel phrases"

Bella Hristova performed David Ludwig's Violin Concerto with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Buffalo Rising: " I wasn’t prepared for how violinist Bella Hristova (whom I’ve also heard before at Kleinhans) was going to play the concerto written by her husband....I’ve heard dazzling runs played on violins, but never ones as seamless as these."

Alina Ibragimova performed Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

The Scotsman: "Ibragimova was a commanding but unassuming presence, with a remarkable agility and flexibility of sound that was more than a match for Prokofiev’s restless flickering between styles, from the lyrical to the grotesque."

Amalia Hall performed John Corigliano’s 'The Red Violin – Chaconne for Violin and Orchestra' with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Stuff: "Hall’s performance was nerveless. Opening with a steely tone that hovered just the right side of harshness, she adapted seamlessly to the piece’s changing moods and intense technical demands."

Madeleine Mitchell performed Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Norfolk Symphony Orchestra.

Lynn News: "...she gave a confident, sweet toned, but appropriately forthright performance of the Bruch..."

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Replies

John Rokos

May 18, 2022 at 03:53 PM · Zukerman subbing for Perlman? Well, I never (apparently they're friends)!!!

Looking at the critique, I am not surprised that "Neither piece felt particularly demanding on a technical level, but it didn’t matter; Zukerman seemed much more invested in honoring the melodies than basking in personal glory" - Zukerman has chosen to perform a sizeable amount of "easy music" (I remember him performing Elgar's "Six Easy Pieces").

Doubtless, the two of them have been frequently compared as violinists, but has a single comparison of them as conductors ever been made?

Laurie Niles

May 18, 2022 at 06:53 PM · I'm less concerned about any comparisons between Zukerman and Perlman and more concerned about Mr. Perlman possibly having COVID - I had it two weeks ago and while being vaccinated four times helps, I was still sick. Wishing Mr. Perlman a mild case, speedy recovery and all the best.

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