Jordan, Znaider, & Park — Zurich, 2015-09-04

Review of a concert at the Tonhalle Zurich, 2015-09-04, offered by the Orpheum Foundation for the Support of Young Musicians, on the occasion of its 25th anniversary: Philippe Jordan, Nikolaj Znaider, Kyoungmin Park, and the Vienna Symphonic Orchestra playing • Webern, Variations for Orchestra op.30 • Mozart, Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola in E♭ major, K.364 • Beethoven, Symphony No.7 in A major, op.92

Arabella Steinbacher, Norrington / ZKO — Zurich, 2015-03-28

… Right from the beginning of the first movement (Allegro vivace) one could sense and enjoy Norrington’s very detailed dynamics, the clear contrasts, very careful phrasing and articulation, down to individual ornaments — and the joyful playing in general. (…) It was a fascinating concert experience, and a strong, very convincing, compelling interpretation, both on the part of the conductor as well as the orchestra!

Albrecht Mayer, Norrington / ZKO — Zurich, 2014-11-25

(…) The last position in the program (after the intermission) was Mozart’s Symphony No.40 in G minor, K.550, in its first version (without clarinets), preceded by some explanations (in English) by the conductor. Sir Roger Norrington first alluded to numeric relations between the two symphonies (No.4 vs. No.40 — second vs. second-to-last symphony), then referred to the fact that K.550 is overused, known too well even, and played in warehouses and escalators…