January 2014

The Week in Reviews, Op. 16: Hilary Hahn, Gil Shaham, Adele Anthony in concert

Every week, Violinist.com brings you links to reviews of notable violin performances from around the world. Please share in the comments your thoughts about any recent performances you've attended (or about these reviews!).

Hilary Hahn performed the Nielsen with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra

• Detroit Free Press: "Saturday night’s terrific performance by Hahn was a reminder that in the right hands, the concerto deserves a higher profile."

Gil Shaham performed the Korngold with the Cleveland Orchestra, in Miami

• The Plain Dealer: "In short, Shaham played not only with technical mastery but with joy as well."
• South Florida Classical Review: "When it comes to broad flowing melodies, few violinists today could top him."

Adele Anthony performed Bernstein's Serenade with the Mobile Symphony Orchestra

• Mobile Press Register: "Star violinist Adele Anthony played lead violin on the lyrical, poetic and subtly sexy piece filled with jazz, Broadway flourishes and classical moments."

Vadim Gluzman performed the Tchaikovsky with the Philadelphia Orchestra

• Philadelphia Inquirer: "Although the performance summoned requisite excitement in the final movement, this was not a talent operating at full force."

Sarah Chang performed the Bruch with the Fresno Philharmonic

• Fresno Bee: "She came, she played, she kicked, she scored. And the music was gorgeous."

Itzhak Perlman performed the Beethoven with the San Diego Symphony

• San Diego Union Tribune: "His virtuoso performance absolutely enthralled the audience."

Joshua Bell performed the Brahms with the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields

• Birmingham Post: "A performance of Brahms’ violin concerto by a soloist of Bell’s immense talent cannot fail to have some passages of great beauty."

Jeffrey Multer performed Bartók's Concerto No. 2 with the Florida Orchestra

• Tampa Bay Times: "Florida Orchestra concertmaster Jeffrey Multer gave a stunning performance Friday of one of the most interesting, as well as notoriously difficult, pieces in the violin repertoire: Béla Bartók's Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Orchestra."

Stefan Jackiw performed Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 with the New Mexico Philharmonic

• Albuquerque Journal: "Excellent playing, but stylistically not so much Mozart. As an encore he gave a moving performance of the Largo movement of J.S. Bach’s Sonata for Solo Violin in C Major."

Joseph Silverstein performed Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 with Miami Mozarteum Orchestra

• South Florida Classical Review: "From his first entrance, Silverstein’s vigorous and supple playing was stylish in the Classical manner without mannerism or exaggeration, the runs and fast passages cleanly articulated."

Alexander Barantschik performed the Mendelssohn D-Minor Violin Concerto with the San Francisco Symphony

• San Francisco Chronicle: "Barantschik gave the piece a wonderfully nimble reading, tossing off the furious and demanding passagework with winning nonchalance…"
• Examiner.com: "Barantschik both led and performed solo in a spirited account of elegantly turned out melodic material for the soloist backed up by an energetic accompaniment from the strings."

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The Week in Reviews, Op. 15: David Garrett, Hilary Hahn, Itzhak Perlman in concert

Every week, Violinist.com brings you links to reviews of notable violin performances from around the world. Please share your thoughts about any recent performances you've attended (or these reviews!) in the comments.

Alina Ming Kobialka performed the Mendelssohn with the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

• Las Vegas Review-Journal: "…the evening’s guest artist, violinist Alina Ming Kobialka, gave a clinic in technique that left the large Reynolds Hall audience wildly enthusiastic and calling for more."

Itzhak Perlman performed the Beethoven with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.

• Arizona Daily Star: "...it was how he performed Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major that was so breathtaking. He made it seem so effortless. His hands moved with the fluidity of a ballet dancer in a graceful pirouette."

Hilary Hahn performed two Mozart concertos with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

• ConcertoNet: "Ms. Hahn handled it all with total aplomb, rendering the work not just beautiful but worthy of serious contemplation as well."

Sarah Kwak performed the Wieniawski's Second Violin Concerto with the Oregon Symphony.

• The Oregonian: "Kwak tore it up in a performance as dazzling as any recent star guest soloist."

David Garrett performed in concert in Dallas.

• TheaterJones: "Underneath the glitz, Garrett is an amazing violinist with a mastery of technique that puts him on a level with any violinist touring today. Yet even here, on so basic a level, he is the consummate showman." And we couldn't help but notice this from the comments section after the review: "This review got many basic facts wrong: First, Garrett never gave up his classical career. Actually two thirds of his concerts every year is classical; Second, he never uses electric violin. I suggest you read his interview with violinist.com to get a better understanding of his career and perspective." (!)

Diana Cohen performed the Barber with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

• Calgary Herald: "Cohen executed her solo part with great élan, her playing effortless and filled with generous tone and refinement."

Nancy Zhou performed the Dvorák with the San Antonio Symphony.

• San Antonio Express-News: "The star musician of the night was San Antonio's own, violin soloist Nancy Zhou, 20, now based in Boston as a student and international performing artist."

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The Week in Reviews, Op. 14: Lisa Batiashvili, Julia Fischer, Augustin Hadelich in concert

Every week, Violinist.com brings you links to reviews of notable violin performances from around the world. Please share your thoughts about any recent performances you've attended (or these reviews!) in the comments.

Lisa Batiashvili performed Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with the New York Philharmonic

• The New York Times: "The violinist Lisa Batiashvili was the terrific soloist in the Shostakovich concerto."
• New York Classical Review: "The always energetic Batiashvili brought a certain verve to the evening that, unfortunately, was not always reciprocated by the Philharmonic."

Lisa Batiashvili. Photo: Mat Hennek

Julia Fischer performed the Brahms with the Cleveland Orchestra

• The Plain Dealer: "Violinist Julia Fischer... was the driving force behind a stellar presentation of Brahms’ Violin Concerto."

Augustin Hadelich performed the Beethoven with the Los Angeles Philharmonic

• Violinist.com: "Hadelich's Beethoven was riveting and beautiful."
• Los Angeles Times: "His shaping of the opening passage startled with its silvery tone, pinpoint intonation and surprising turns of phrase — and there was not a note thereafter that was not thought out, characterized and beautifully projected."

Vadim Gluzman performed Schnittke's Violin Concerto No. 4 with the Louisiana Philharmonic

• The Times-Picayune : "Gluzman negotiated the mood shifts and violent musical contrasts of Schnittke's 1984 composition with unwavering support from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto."

Hilary Hahn performed Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 with the New World Symphony

• Examiner.com: "The internationally recognized young virtuoso masterfully captured the emotions of Mozart’s 'Turkish' violin concerto."

Pinchas Zukerman performed and conducted the Beethoven with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

• The New York Times: "Mr. Zukerman offered technically solid and often highly expressive playing, especially in the second movement Larghetto."

And Itzhak Perlman also performed the Beethoven, with the San Diego Symphony

• The Union-Tribune: "The emotional directness, the lack of pretension, the rare combination of ease and absolute conviction were all evident in his interpretation of the Beethoven Violin Concerto."

Anne Akiko Meyers performed Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

• Dallas Morning News: "Anne Akiko Meyers supplied a huge dynamic range, from blazing fortissimos to whispered hushes, and mostly impressive technical command."
• Dallas Observer: "On Saturday night Meyers made the Vieuxtemps (Guarneri del Gesu) sound as if it were built for Prokofiev's fiery emotionalism."

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