The Week in Reviews, Op. 445: Nathan Olson, Hilary Hahn, Anne Akiko Meyers

April 16, 2024, 12:54 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 Nathan Olson. Photo courtesy Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

Nathan Olson performed Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

Texas Classical Review: "As the violin soloist, DSO co-concertmaster Nathan Olson proved an effective solo protagonist, alternating between a fervent singing tone that reflects the somber mood and brisk dance gestures that try but fail to escape the angst."
Dallas Morning News: "Olson’s performance of the concerto was by turns virtuosic, atmospheric and properly unsettling. Technical challenges were dispatched with utter authority — and musicality. "

Hilary Hahn and pianist Andreas Haefliger performed Brahms complete violin-piano works recital at Wigmore Hall.

Bach Track: "A musician of rare sensitivity, she navigated the challenges of the three sonatas with aplomb at Wigmore Hall."

Anne Akiko Meyers performed the Philip Glass Concerto and Dvorak Romance with the Prague Philharmonia and Emmanuel Vuillaume.

Opera +: "Anne Akiko Meyers captured the strong side of the composition (and indeed the author's entire work) in her passages by highlighting the important harmonic breaks of the pattern together with the orchestra....Perhaps that is why the dramaturgy of the concert allowed her to play Antonín Dvorák's captivating Romance for violin and orchestra in F minor, where her historically valuable instrument, the Ex-Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesú from 1741 with Larsen strings, sang to an unimaginable beauty."

Randall Goosby and pianist Zhu Wang performed in recital in Atlanta.

EarRelevant: "The performance, as a whole, was enlightening, impressive, and informative. Goosby gave his own interpretations of each piece and some historical background, which I welcome at any performance. Each piece is rooted in history, which allows it to be personified further and make a lasting impact."

Beatrice Hsieh performed Korngold's Violin Concerto with the New World Symphony.

South Florida Classical Review: "From the onset of the opening Moderato mobile, Hsieh’s rich dark tone, embellished by shades of chiaroscuro, carried the melodic lines adapted from Korngold’s film scores. She phrased in a long fluent arc, and dashed off the rapid sections with devilish zeal."

Shunske Sato performed Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra.

San Francisco Classical Voice: "The sprightly tempo Sato took (in the second movement) on Thursday at Herbst Theatre facilitated such fluid phrasing that it felt almost rude to continue with the last movement, whose every run achieved greater heights."

Philippe Quint performed Beethoven's Violin Concerto with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.

WBOI: "The first movement was quite powerful and effective, especially with the outstanding solos by Quint."

Maria Ioudenitch performed Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor with the Dresden Philharmonic.

Bach Track: "Ioudenitch demonstrated why she is already making waves: secure intonation, fearless technical virtuosity and expressive richness, her burnished and earthy tone matched by the dark woodiness of the Dresden strings."

Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider performed Fritz Kreisler’s Violin Concerto in C major (on Kreisler’s 1741 Guarneri del Gesu) with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Bach Track: "Szeps-Znaider exuded a warm and fulsome tone for the opening Allegro energico, contrasted by the aria-like Andante doloroso, its heart-on-sleeve emotions being more a comforting balm than evoking pangs of sorrow. "

Johan Dalene performed Carl Nielsen's Violin Concerto with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

Bach Track: "The outstanding star of the RLPO’s latest concert was their Young Artist in Residence, Johan Dalene, who played Carl Nielsen’s Violin Concerto with astonishing flair and musicality. In this concerto the composer aimed to combine musical substance with solo virtuosity and that is exactly what Dalene, the orchestra and conductor Andrew Manze gave us."

Veronika Eberle performed Brahms' Violin Concerto with Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen.

Bach Track: "From her very first entry, after a weighty orchestral introduction, it was clear that this would be a dramatically inflected, rhythmically taut reading. There was plenty of bone and technical assurance: she made light of the countless technical difficulties including rapid broken chords, scales and double stopping."

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Christian Lesniak

April 16, 2024 at 08:54 PM · Short one:

I went to the Jerusalem Quartet this week, playing Haydn's op. 76, #6 in e flat major, Paul Ben-Haim's quartet and Shostakovich's 2nd quartet.

It was really interesting hearing Ben-Haim, whose quartet sounded (to my ear) half like Debussy and half like Shostakovich, but coming before Shostakovich wrote his quartets. They made a great case for very interesting music, and I'll have to check out more of his music.

The Shostakovich was really well done.

The Haydn was absolutely fantastic. Very lyrical, with a very subtle and nuanced use of vibrato throughout.

The quartet might have the nicest, most unified sound of maybe any quartet I've heard live. Each player's sound is burnished and a pleasure to hear. The dynamics and the ensemble are absolutely on point.

These guys are the real deal - Check them out!

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The Week in Reviews, Op. 445: Nathan Olson, Hilary Hahn, Anne Akiko Meyers

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