The Week in Reviews, Op. 4: Vilde Frang, Arabella Steinbacher, Augustin Hadelich in Concert

Written by Robert Niles
Published: October 15, 2013 at 4:00 PM [UTC]

Vilde Frang. Photo © Lillian Birnbaum

Vilde Frang performed Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
Montreal Gazette: "I have rarely heard a lovelier or less affected virtuosity…You won’t hear Bruch performed like this very often, the melody handed off from one partner to another like two people petting one cat.

Arabella Steinbacher performed the Mendelssohn with the New York Philharmonic
The New York Times: "The violinist Arabella Steinbacher appeared with the orchestra for the first time with a warm, sweetly lyrical account of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto."

Anthony Marwood performed Mozart's Violin Concertos No. 2 and No. 3 with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "(Anthony Marwood) brought what’s known as HIP — historically informed performance — style to Powell Symphony Hall, with zippy tempos and lean textures that make the music-making feel more urgent."

Tatiana Berman performed the premiere of Charles Coleman's Violin Concerto with the Constella Festival of Music and Fine Arts in Cincinnati
Cincinnati Enquirer: "The piece was instantly appealing. The first movement opened with a long, sinuous melody for the violin in a duet with a cymbal. It evolved into a palette that was bright and busy, with bubbling winds set against glowing orchestral textures. Berman crouched as she tackled its soaring, angular themes with a seamless, lyrical tone."

Augustin Hadelich performed the Stravinsky with the Oregon Symphony
The Oregonian : "The soloist was the terrific young German-Italian Augustin Hadelich, who coursed through even the spikiest passages with ease and sometimes impish spirit, keenly attuned to the splashes of color erupting in the orchestra behind him."

Caroline Goulding performed the Tchaikovsky with the Grand Rapids Symphony
The Grand Rapids Press: "Goulding gave a wholly original reading – a bit of flash with her arpeggios, a little sentimentality with her slides and trills, but with extraordinary intonation and expression."

Did you attend a concert this week? Please tell us about it, in the comments!