The Week in Reviews, Op. 180: Regina Carter, Itzhak Perlman, Midori

By Laurie Niles: 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. Regina Carter honored Ella Fitzgerald's centennial, in Chicago.

• Chicago Tribune: "Even if Carter never had mentioned Fitzgerald's name or sought to honor the centenary of her birth, this music would have been worth savoring on its own terms. The way Carter's lines floated above a subtle rhythmic backdrop in Marvin Sewell's arrangement of "Judy" and the steeped-in-blue expressions she produced in Charenee Wade's re-conception of 'Undecided' showed the range of Carter's art and, by implication, Fitzgerald's....Surely Ella would have been pleased."

Itzhak Perlman performed works by Vivaldi, Beethoven, Schumann, and Ravel, in recital with pianist Rohan De Silva.

• Wisconsin Gazette: "Accompanied by long-time collaborator and pianist Rohan De Silva, Perlman delivered more than two hours of technical skill and musical virtuosity in his second visit to Wisconsin in less than a year."

Midori performed the Britten with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

• Cincinnati Enquirer: "Midori sailed through its treacherous technical challenges, taking her time to communicate its lyrical passages with breathtaking beauty. She phrased with emotion and a pure, sweet tone in the first movement, ending with ethereal sounds high in the stratosphere."

Ning Feng performed Mozart's Fourth Violin Concerto with the Hong Kong Philharmonic.

• The Daily Telegraph: "Feng displayed a gorgeous light touch with faultless intonation and deft bowing married to a sweet tone. The melodic lines were all smooth and beautifully shaped and, unusually, he happily added his Stradivarius to the ensemble parts when not soloing."
• The Australian: "Equally tidy and equally unremarkable, Feng’s execution of the Mozart provided clear articulation, even vibrato and precise intonation."
• The Straits Times: "A player of unquestionable technical ability, his beautiful tone and superb musicality made the concerto a high point of the evening."

Tasmin Little performed the Elgar with the BBC Philharmonic.

• The Westmorland Gazette: "Throughout the slow sections she projected a warm, rich, mellow lyricism and sweetness of tone. In the bravura passages and fast passage work her fabulous technique enabled her to really open up and throw caution to the wind."

Danielle Maddon premiered Rakowski's Second Violin Concerto with the New England Philharmonic.

• The Boston Musical Intelligencer: "Of the world premiere of David Rakowski’s second Violin Concerto, written for NE Phil concertmaster Danielle Maddon, I am tempted to use the work “craftsmanship” for his work as well, though it left less of an impression."

Sergej Krylov performed Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

• The Scotsman: "The star of the Concerto...was Moscow-born soloist Sergej Krylov, who delivered it with such a sense of gruff, fiery truculence that he simply swept aside any doubts. He projected his line forcefully, and enunciated his phrases with chiselled clarity, even if it felt a bit like he was playing the whole thing through gritted teeth, even a rictus grin."

Pekka Kuusisto performed works by Sibelius with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

• Minneapolis Star Tribune: "...he seemed really engaged in this music. It meant something to him, and as a result the string players on stage with him essayed these pieces with gusto, rich color and impeccable control."

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